Point Of No Return
by NewLightRiini
Summary: Dark AU: Tooth crash landed on an icy planet and has been captured by the Duke - Jack Frost. Now being a slave with no chance of escaping, she helps to fight off the evil in the universe, Pitch. Can she also fight her growing feelings for the arrogant Duke and overcome all obstacles, physical and mental?
1. Crash landing

**Point Of No Return**

**A/N**:

_Welcome to my new story! I hope you'll stick with me and my crazy imagination for yet another time! Have fun reading the first of many chapters!  
_

_And send a big hug to **Electric Plum** for **beta'ing** (is that even a real word?) this story! It's amazing! Thank you so much! So far she beta'd the first chapter. The other's will follow! I'll give her credit in each chapter, so you'll know which chapter is beta'd and which not._

**_Disclaimer_**:

_I do not own Rise Of The Guardians or any other movies. If you see any resemblances from movies (fighting, etc.) it might tell you I watched this movie/show. _

* * *

"Oww." A young girl cried out and held her hand against her temple. "What a start," she whined, and looked at her hand – there was blood on it. "A really good start. Piece of shit!" She kicked her one man spaceship. It was now a wreck; smoke filled the small cabin, and one of the many controls blinked red. "Ok, ok, ok." The girl hushed herself, needing to gain some control over the situation.

"First of all, what problems are detected?" She asked seriously.

_'Engine destroyed'_ A monotone computer answered. _That's so fan-fucking-tastic. _Now she needed some tools and materials to fix the engine. She didn't know if this planet has the needed material. If not, she was screwed.

Her eyes widened in panic. "Give me the coordinates!"

_'4435695 billion-feet south and 3136482 billion-feet west from planet Earth - Ar'Kit'_ Now her day couldn't get better. Earth was her home planet. Her actual mission was to travel to her master's ally's planet to bring them the blueprint of a weapon. Something must have terribly gone wrong for her to end up on this planet, so far out of the way.

Ar'Kit was a warrior planet of ice. Tooth hated the cold and all what comes with it. She sighed.

"Check the state of the planet!"

The computer beeped, telling her it was processing the information. _'Diameter four times bigger Earth's. Gravity two times Earth's. Oxygen present. Temperature: -15° Celsius. No evidence of humanoid action in reach'_

Oh no, that's not good. It would be exhausting as hell moving on this planet with this gravity, yet with this cold. "Reign?"

_"Humanoid: King Jokul Frosti, 47 Earth years old. Duke Jack Frost, 18 Earth years old. Banished sister Emma. Mother deceased.' _The girl scoffed. Deceased, her ass. Normally the Kings would kill their wives when the first son was born.

"Primitive!" She yelled. "Check location!"

_'82020 feet south south-east'_

"Arrgh!" The girl flapped her hands on her face. "Turn on emergency signal!" Now the spaceship dimmed, and only the constant blinking of a red light could be seen. The girl knew she wouldn't make it in the cold, so either the planet's citizens would find her, or she would die from exposure to the harsh elements of this alien planet.

Waiting for someone to arrive, the girl felt some kind of loneliness set in. She missed her home. She was only sixteen years old, but intelligent as hell. Her mother, Rashmi, died when she was young. The girl has only few memories of her, but her father, Haroom, always told her stories about her. Rashmi must have been an awesome character. The girl loved her parents.

"I'm in trouble, father. Help me. I was stupid." She mumbled to herself.

Her father didn't like the idea of her travelling in space, yet she did without his knowing, and now this. He must be worried, since his daughter was missing along with one of his many spaceships. She wanted to show him her potential, that she was unlike all the other soldiers he trusted, so she took off at night with the blue print.

The girl gave herself the mission. She was stupid.

..

.

"My Lord, a signal can be caught around 75 fuldos away, north north-west." A warrior kneeled in front of the King in the palace.

"What kind of signal?" The King's deep voice asked curious.

"Emergency."

This was rare for Ar'Kit. Normally they caught signals for trade, or even war. Rarely was there ever an emergency signal. The King's brows rose. "Send a soldier, but don't harm the intruder. I have some questions!" He instructed, and the warrior nodded, before he rushed out of the palace.

The King tapped his fingers on his throne. "Tell my son to come." He told the warrior to his left side. Somehow he had the feeling that this might be important. Jack could prove his capability.

..

.

"Naah, five minutes!"

"No, your father called for you, Duke Frost. Now." The warrior bowed his head lightly. The boy stopped in his tracks. He was currently in the training room, where he could learn to handle his powers correctly.

Jack became angry, he was so close. He stomped his staff onto the ground, sending a cold breeze through the room. The white haired Duke raised his head. "I said five minutes. Five. Minutes!" His angry blue eyes bore into the warrior ones.

"But an emergency signal has been received."

"Don't give me a reason to freeze your life!" The threat worked, and the warrior took off. Jack snorted. _Stupid low class warriors._ With that, he swung his staff around, pretending to fight off fictional enemies.

_Emergency signal, huh? Might be interesting._ He grinned.

..

.

The girl froze, not only because of the cold. No, her computer detected humanoid action. She cursed.

"Enough self-pity. Show them! Whoever it is!" She encouraged herself and fist-pumped the air, but it scared her on the inside. She wrapped a few blankets around herself as protection from the cold, and pushed the button to open the ship. As soon as the hatch began to open, the girl could feel herself dropping down and gripped the holders. Now she weighed not 103 pounds, but 206 pounds. Not that much worse, due to her training, but nevertheless enough for her.

The girl gripped her gun and hid it behind her, observing the land to try and spot the person, but only found snow. She narrowed her eyes. _There!_ There was someone with a white, thick fur, nearly blending in the surroundings. Well, the girl gave them points for that.

"Who are you? I- I have a weapon!" She stumbled over her own words, frightened - the stranger was 20 feet away. She swallowed her terror. What if, whatever it was, could not understand her? Shit. Then she would be in deep shit.

"English?" A deep voice asked. Male.

"Yes!" On the inside she blessed everything for this occasion. "Somehow I crash landed here. Can you take me to your leader?"

The voice laughed loudly. The girl knitted her brows. "Come with me." He instructed.

The girl thought for a moment. Things couldn't get any worse now. Maybe the King could contact her father, and someone could take her home. She put her weapon into her belt behind her and climbed out of the ship under the watchful eyes of the man and fell face first into the snow.

"Stupid gravity!" She mumbled into the snow and could feel someone dragging her up by the arm.

"Problems with gravity?" He asked, but the stubborn girl shrugged him off.

"No, I'm peachy!" The girl was stunned at how tall the man was.

The warrior's eyes grew wide. This girl had guts, he could tell. He had never seen a girl like her. Normally the women were quiet or too afraid to say their mind out loud. But this little girl was something. She crash landed here, alone, yet showed no fear. On the outside.

"I'm Bunnymund, but you can call me Bunny." He told the girl and smiled. He could tell the girl was startled, but she fake smiled back.

"Toothiana."

"Let's go, Toothiana." He said and walked in front of her, hearing her foot crunching the snow behind him.

..

.

After the long way, Tooth was exhausted, but when she saw the outline of a palace, she pushed herself, much to the surprise of the man in front of her. They had been quiet most of the way, but he told her not to make a big fuss once they reached their destination. She could tell Bunny knew she wouldn't take the hint, but shrugged it off. She would learn to handle herself.

Tooth couldn't admire the look of the ice palace, because the warrior shoved her straight to the throne room. "Don't forget to kneel in front of the King." He whispered and she simply nodded. As if she wouldn't know the etiquette. All the people stared at her, and it creeped her out. Bunny told her it was rare for a visitor and that they would be 'startled' at her slender figure. It was an ice planet, so the inhabitants weighed more to protect themselves from both the temperature and the higher gravity.

Yeah, she would give anything for more weight, since she didn't feel her limbs anymore.

They arrived at the throne room and Bunny walked in front of her, gesturing to his right side and bowed. Tooth followed. "My Lord, the signal came from this girl."

"Thank you, Bunnymund. You may step back." Tooth heard the deep voice and knew it must have been King Jokul Frosti. She looked up and saw Bunny stepping back, but not far away. "Raise."

Tooth stood up, raising her head to see the stunned face of a man. White, long hair cascaded down his shoulders. He was pale, and wore a deep blue robe. Bright blue eyes looked at her lilac ones and she couldn't help but to feel very nervous. "Never saw someone like you." She could hear him mutter and felt slightly offended. She lifted her arms to her hips.

"Sorry for the intrusion, but I hope you can help me. I mean no harm. If I may ask, can you contact King Haroom from planet Earth? He is my father." She said and stood her ground.

As the King was about to answer, someone opened the doors roughly. "You asked for me-" The boyish voice cut off as she turned around to face him. She felt naked under his eyes as he studied her. But she had to admit, he was handsome. Messy white hair and crystal blue eyes. Wow. But he was slender himself.

_'Stop inner fangirl!'_

She glanced at Bunny, who shook his head slightly. Ok, she would ask about this 'more weight-more warmth-but-not-for-the-royals' matter later.

"What do we have here?" The boy asked in a tone Tooth definitely did not like. Like she was a toy to play with. She snarled. She would give him now a piece of her mind.

* * *

**A/N:**

_So, what do you think? Good? Bad? Constructive criticism or just a few nice words, either way, are very appreciated!_

_Stay tuned!_


	2. Enslavement

**Point Of No Return**

**A/N: **

_Send your thanks to **Electric Plum** for **beta'ing** this! I'm so happy! Have fun!_

* * *

"_'What do we have here?'_ Seriously?" Tooth asked annoyed. "I don't know who taught you manners, but whoever did, did a lousy job." She could tell the boy was startled, but she gave him points for hiding it immediately afterward.

"Your point?" Jack asked cockily, and rested his arms on his staff. Sure enough, she had guts. He has never seen someone like her. Normally girls would do anything to be with him - in any way.

"That's not a way to treat a lady!" Tooth exclaimed and stomped her foot. It was something she saw in movies back home, and after a while, she began doing it too. Her father always snickered when she did it. Now she regretted it, seeing the smirk on the boy's face.

"A lady, right." He said, sarcasm apparent in his voice. She had lilac eyes, something he has never seen in his entire life. The people on this planet usually had blue or light grey eyes. Her hair was brown, but due to the reflecting of the sunlight in the ice palace, he could make out faint blonde and even red traces in it. He didn't know how long her hair was, because she held so many blankets over her small body.

"Hush now!" The deep King's voice rumbled through the hall and Tooth cringed, while Jack just looked at him. "Duke Jack, take your place." He said, his voice taking on a more formal tone, and Jack obeyed, sitting down beside his father, but not before brushing himself against the girl. She gritted her teeth, much to his amusement. "Act your heritage." The King whispered to him and Jack rolled his eyes.

"I am the Duke, Jack Frost!"

Tooth supressed the urge to roll her eyes at that, since she knew already.

"You may explain your situation."

"I am Toothiana, daughter of King Haroom from planet Earth." She said, and emphasized the part of her bloodline, but both men didn't even stir. She sighed. "I don't know what happened back in space, but somehow I crash landed here. I mean no harm. I just wish to contact my father."

"Pitiful." Her head snapped towards Jack at his word. He sure as hell didn't sound like he was sorry for her, but this wasn't the part, which made her angry.

"I don't need pity, Duke." She snarled. Tooth didn't want to be on their bad side, since they were her only way out of this, but she wouldn't let them insult her. "I just want to go home."

Jack grabbed his chin in a thoughtful manner, while the King rested his head on one of his hands. She didn't know why he didn't cut in. Tooth looked back at Bunny, surprised at his furious look at the Duke.

_'So I'm not the only one who don't like his attitude.'_ She couldn't help smiling inwardly.

"Why were you in space?" This caught her off guard and she gulped, feeling the loneliness set in again. What would her father do right now? She wanted him so badly by her side.

"That doesn't matter." She said with fake self confidence, and Jack stood.

"Oh, I don't think so." He started to walk in no particular direction, twirling his staff. "You _'crash landed'_ here. Sure, that proves your signal, but how can you tell you have no back-up somewhere else? I don't buy this." He came to a stop and finally looked at her.

"Are you deaf? I just said I mean no harm!" Tooth yelled angrily, and panted. The gravity slowly wore her out.

"And there's the problem. You SAID you mean no harm, but can you prove your point?" He raised his eyebrows.

"What the-? Really?" She said, getting frustrated. "Just contact my father, he can convince you!" Her knees buckled and she wasn't sure, if it was due to the growing fear or the constant gravity.

"No, we can not risk this." He stated and walked back to his seat.

"I was there. It really looked like she just crash landed." The deep voice of Bunny behind Tooth said, and she felt a wave of sympathy for him, standing up for her.

"Do not intervene, kangaroo." Jack waved him off and Tooth got furious. How could he say something like that? Sure he was Duke, but his behaviour was beyond respectful.

"You act like I will invade your planet. _Geez_, I don't know if you have noticed, but it's freezing out there! It's not like I could survive for more than two or three hours!" Tooth spat and Jack rushed forward until he was inches away from her.

"Come to think of all the hungry animals, waiting for a delicious little girl like you." He said huskily and Tooth shuddered. With his words spoken, he grabbed the blankets and threw them off of her, revealing her slender figure and waist-long hair. "I think you should think over your actions." He roughly grabbed her upper arm and spun her around, so her back faced the King. She saw the horrified look on Bunny's face.

Her eyes widened. _'SHIT!'_

After a second she could hear the King's gasp and mentally slapped herself for putting her gun in her belt. "I- I can explain." She said panicked, but the angry voice of the King cut her off.

"I don't need any pathetic explanation!" He said loudly. "You, Toothiana, have made yourself present as an enemy."

"No, plea-" She tried to soothe them. Her rapid breathing didn't do her well combined with the gravity.

"SILENCE!" The King yelled and Tooth cringed. "You walked in here with a weapon. You tried to use us and tried to convince us of your honesty and innocence."

"No, no, no." Tooth mumbled quietly, feeling the seriousness of her situation.

"By virtue of my office as King of planet Ar'Kit, I, Jokul Frosti, reduce you, Toothiana, to the level of a slave."

This did it. She felt a tear run down her cheek. Everything went down in only one day. She messed up everything in one day and she couldn't blame any one else for it. It was her decision after all. She didn't knew it would turn out like this. She just wanted to show her father she could handle herself. The words crushed over her and she dropped to her knees. She didn't even feel the cold anymore. Jack watched her with no evident emotions.

"You can not do this. I'm daughter-"

"This may be right, but now you're on planet Ar'Kit and nothing will change my decision. Jack Frost, as the Duke, do you have any objections to voice?"

Tooth looked up at Jack and their eyes met. His eyes lingered on her long, taking in her fragile and vulnerable state. After a few seconds he looked up at his father. "No." He deadpanned and rested his staff against his shoulder.

Tooth's mind blanked. She didn't know what happened after that, but Jack's word crushed her hope. How could she possibly think he would help her? No one was there to help, she was alone, and she wished she was outside with the hungry animals. She preferred death right now. Tooth felt herself being disarmed and dragged away. Where to? She didn't know, as soon as she made contact with the cold hard ground she lost conscious.

"Bunnymund-" The King said and Bunny broke out of his thoughts. "Go and bring me the contents of the slave's spaceship." Bunny only nodded and rushed without further ado out of the throne room.

Jack watched Bunny disappearing and sat down beside his father. He thought back to the girl and a diabolic grin graced his features.

_'This will be fun.'_

* * *

**A/N: **

___Constructive criticism or just a few nice words, either way, are very appreciated!_

_Stay tuned!_


	3. Who Do You Think You Are?

**Point Of No Return**

* * *

The first thing Tooth felt was the cold and she began to shiver. It felt like thousands of needles penetrated her skin, but she was numb, so she couldn't scream. She groaned and slowly opened her eyes and came face to face with something that looked like a hummingbird. It chirped and flew back and forth, taking in Tooth's state.

"Wha-?" Tooth croaked, but stopped, feeling pain as she spoke. _'Fucking cold' _The hummingbird put his hands on her cheek and Tooth smiled lightly. Then she began to take in her surroundings. Well, it was dark, no windows, no bed, maybe a three by three meters large room and the only dim light came from the cross-barred door.

She sat up groaning and noticed it wasn't that difficult. Her face twisted in surprise as she saw something on her foot. She raised it near her face and could make out a device, which looked like a bracelet and in one place a red light illuminated. Her brows knitted in confusion and she tried to take it off, but it was too damn solid around her. She hoped it wasn't some method of torture. She slumped back, but the hummingbird flew close to her face.

Tooth couldn't remember what had happened. Closing her eyes she concentrated. Darkness sprout around her heart, followed by sadness and frustration. She opened her eyes, not knowing what to do now.

Waiting for death?

Hoping someone came rescuing her?

It was dumb saying it out loud, but she needed to feel the absoluteness. "I a- am a slave." Her breath evaporated as she took rapid breaths. Her hands raised to her face and she sobbed. No one would rescue her. No one knew she was here. She had to go through this alone.

Tooth felt a weight on her shoulder and she looked up to see the hummingbird. She gritted her teeth, feeling her sad emotions turn into anger. Nearly rage.

"Who d- do they th- think they are?! Th- thinking they c- c- can do this to me?! What n- now?! Should I w- wash the royal's clothes or c- cook dinner?! Ha! As s- s- soon as my father.." She trailed off, ignoring the glance of the little bird and stomping around her room, trying to warm her body. She heard a chirp and turned to the bird.

"I d- don't understand." She said and kneeled down, feeling a wave of confidence wash over her. Now she was not alone. "Why a- are you here? You can escape ea- easily." No answer, just chirping and Tooth sighed.

"Tooth." She said, pointing to herself and smiling slightly. The bird chirped and hugged her cheek and a chuckle escaped Tooth.

"_Hu uhrna._" _**(Stand up.)**_ A deep, demanding voice called and the bird cringed. Tooth turned around and saw a warrior leaning against the bars. "_Jinta!_" **_(Now!")_** He yelled and whipped his weapon, warning her what would await her, if she didn't obeyed. Sadly, she didn't understand and narrowed her eyes.

Violence. She snorted. "I d- don't understand anything, so I th- think you don't understand m- me either. Ever heard the word 'n- nice'?" She yelled, pointing her finger at the tall man. The warrior opened the door forcefully, slamming it against the wall and Tooth cringed at the noise. He rushed forward and grabbed her wrist roughly, earning him a whimper.

"Hey!"

He backhanded her and Tooth's head flew to the side. Eyes wide open she touched her cheek, feeling it slightly throbbing. Her eyes darkened and she looked hatefully at the warrior.

"You should be grateful! This-" He said in English, yet with a thick accent, and pointed to her feet. "lessens the gravity on your body and heats it." She eyed the device, feeling the need to analyze it, but she shook her head. Now was not the time to go all scientific. "It's not much heat though, but enough for you to survive! You're new, but for your own interest, you should mind your place." He added darkly and grabbed her throat, slowly choking her. Tooth's hand shot up and clenched around his hand, but due to the armor she couldn't do any damage.

That's when the little bird cut in, flying in front of his eyes, clawing at everything she reached. The man simply whipped his hand from one side of his face to the other with enough force to send the bird far away onto the ground. Tooth shrieked and looked at the little bird on the floor.

"Go to hell." She cracked out and spitted in his face. She knew it was the dumbest thing to do, but it felt _so_ good. The warrior growled and threw her through the door onto the icy ground and Tooth gasped for air. She tried to stand up, but the man was fast and straddled her hips, pointing a sharp-looking, icy knife at her throat. Now Tooth feared to swallow, so she shot him the most deadly glance she could.

"It will be great fun seeing you break." He laughed in her face and added some force against her delicate skin.

"_Osh gunla widju?!_" _**(What are you doing?!)**_ Another voice cut in and Tooth beamed at Bunny. "_Pan ghnu!" **(Release her!)** _Bunny said fierce and took hold of his boomerang.

"_Huna!?" **(And then?!)** _The warrior spat. "She didn't obey! I need to put her in her place!" With that he raised his hand and Tooth shut her eyes, waiting for the impact, but she felt the warrior being lifted off of her. She opened her eyes and saw Bunny holding the man against the wall with an iron grip.

"You are in no position to do something like this!" Bunny said coldly. "You may be in charge of this floor, but you are under MY command, Ruknu. Don't screw with me." He threatened and tossed him away. The man wiped his clothes after he regained his balance and with one last smirk towards Tooth he walked out of the corridor.

"Tha-" Tooth tried to thank him, but he grabbed her wrist to help her up.

"Don't thank me." He said distantly and took a few steps away and Tooth shrunk, taking in the rejection. Bunny walked to the bird on the floor and hoisted her up in his hands.

Tooth had to smile, as the bird flew at her in rapid speed and hugging her cheek. "I'm ok." She said and hugged her lightly with one hand against her cheek.

"The King demands your present after dinner_._" Bunny voiced and walked away. He didn't know what to think. The girl didn't seem to be dangerous, especially since she looked very young. His eyes narrowed. She didn't deserve this, yet he couldn't ignore the mental image of her with the gun. He thought she left it with her ship. He sighed.

"Be on your guard, Toothiana." Hopefully he'd found something in her ship to help her, preferably an alive girl. "Now come."

Tooth closed her eyes, feeling pain everywhere, as she followed Bunny. But now she was kinda lucky, the cold numbed the pain. She knew that soon the adrenalin would fade away, replaced by shock, but she would try to delay it as long as she could.

"Father, help me." She mumbled defeated. For now there was no way to escape, but she would definitely find one. Somehow..

* * *

Tooth felt greatly exhausted. She had been running around for an hour, serving the royals their food. Sweat formed in the back of her neck, although the air was cold. Coming back into the dinning room, she looked up and saw Jack's smirking face and she had to swallow. She wanted to punch him.

But no one would hesitate to kill her now, if she made a mistake.

She sighed and put the plates with food down on the table and rushed out again. The whole 'upper class' warriors ate with the King and Duke. Maybe this was some kind of ritual here, but she didn't pay any other mind to it.

And damn, they have black holes in their stomachs.

That's when she heard the noise of glass being shattered and a shriek. She turned around and saw, that a slave was on his knees, now begging for mercy.

Tooth narrowed her eyes as the warrior raised his hand and she rushed forward, but it was too late. The strike was harsh and the alien's body jerked a few meters away.

"Lowlife!" Tooth heard and held her hand to her mouth, seeing blood on the alien's face and she quickly walked over to him, feeling a pair of eyes follow her every movement, but she ignored it.

As she lay beside the alien she helped him up and gently wiped the blood away under his nose with her sleeve. "There." She smiled lightly at the shocked expression of the alien. "Now shoo." She whispered and gave him a gentle push to the kitchen door. As the alien was on his way, her hateful glare bore into the warrior's back.

No one beside Jack, who watched the encounter out of the corner of his eyes, had payed attention and she had to swallow her rage.

"Clean this, slave!" The warrior waved at her and an idea popped up in her mind. It was a silly idea, but she swore she wouldn't go down without a fight. She rushed forward, grabbed the full glass of something that smelled like alcohol and splashed it in his face.

"Who do you think you are?! And you're calling us lowlifes!" She yelled, but backed off as the warrior slowly stood up. If looks could kill.. well she would be in hell right now. He rushed forward and grabbed her collar, uplifting her up to her toes.

"What did you say?!" He asked darkly and Tooth saw that everyone's attention was on them. She gulped.

"What did those poor people do to you?! They don't deserv-" She stopped as the warrior threw her away.

"Enough!" The King's voice rumbled. "Jack, take care of this, but don't forget that I want to have a word with her after dinner. So don't kill her." He waved his hand and all began to eat again. The warrior in front of Tooth put his knife back in his belt and growled, before turning his attention back on the food.

Tooth opened her eyes and popped up on her elbows, only to see the look in Jack's face.

"With Pleasure." Tooth didn't know if her life would really end on this miserably planet.

* * *

**A/N: **_Next time we see little Jack in action. Hopefully this chapter didn't disappoint you too much, but I wrote it over and over again, but this needed to take place, although it's kinda boring to me, too. Bear with me, a lot of action is about to start!_

_Thank you again for your lovely reviews! I'm happy you liked this story so far!  
_

_Stay tuned and don't forget to leave a review for little old me!_


	4. An Attempt To Escape

**Point of No Return**

* * *

"Where do you think you're going?" Jack asked amused as Tooth walked out of the dinning room in no particular direction. She humpfed and crossed her arms.

"Hopefully far far away from you." She answered sarcastically. "You tell me. You're the one, who dragged me out of the room!"

"Indeed." He leaned against his staff and watched her. Tooth waited for him to continue, but after a minute she rolled her eyes.

"Nevermind." She waved her hand and stepped away. Something tugged her back around her waist and she looked down.

"Not the right direction." She could practically see the smirk plastered on his face and turned around annoyed.

"Would you mind unhooking me?" Tooth felt slightly intimidated by Jack's closeness as he stepped forward.

"Maybe I can unhook something else."

Tooth swatted his hand away. "Don't you dare touch me!"

Jack grew impatient. He unhooked her and slammed her against the wall, ignoring her cries. "I told you already. You should overthink your actions." He whispered darkly and trapped her between his hands on either side of her face. "I am the Duke!"

"And I am princess of Earth! Two can play this game, you know?!" She screamed and tried to push him away, but he lunged forward until his lips were merely inches away from hers.

"Don't try my patience, woman!" He growled and Tooth froze. He wouldn't really hurt her, would he? "Now you belong to this planet. You're a slave. A pet. Nothing more." Tooth's face grew blank and Jack's smirk reappeared.

He stepped back and hooked his staff around her waist again, dragging her down the icy corridor like a dog. Tooth's focus lay on the ground. "No way." She mumbled incoherent, but Jack didn't seem to hear. "I am not a pet." She gritted through her teeth and eyed Jack's back. "I AM NOT!" She yelled and jumped his back, missing the fact, that Jack indeed heard her clearly and expected her to pull such a move.

And he reacted.

He grabbed her wrists, which were around his neck and with one forceful tug he send her flying forward on the ground on her back in front of him. She groaned as the wind was knocked out of her and cringed at the pain in her back. "Son of a-" She wanted to insult him, but he tugged on her wrists again, hoisted her up so her back was pressed against his chest, while he immobilized her by crossing his arms around her chest, pulling her arms cross, too.

"Now tell me one reason not to end your pitiful existence right now." He whispered huskily in Tooth's ear, earning him a shiver.

"Y- Your father.." She stumbled over her own words and she hated herself for it right now.

"Ahh, I know. Quite cool technology you got there, but it's nothing compared to our's." He sighed mockingly and tightened his grip around her to stop her struggling.

"What do you mean?" She asked curious and Jack rolled his eyes.

"You're deaf?"

Tooth hissed. Suddenly Jack opened a door next to him with his foot and tossed her in it. She looked around, but it was just an empty icy room. "What now?"

"Now.." He trailed his staff behind him as he circled her. "Tell me, why you traveled through space on your own."

"I told you it's out of question."

"Tell me or we're doing this the hard way." With that the twirled his staff before stomping it on the ground, causing icy wind to blew around her and close the door.

She shivered badly. "I think your father demands my presence."

"And I think this will have to wait." He retorted and kneeled in front of her. "Now tell me." He said rather softly and cupped her cheek. Tooth's eyes widened and that's not because of the coldness of his hand. There was actually a sincere expression on his face.

Tooth laughed. "Puppy eyes won't bring you anywhere, my _dear_ Duke." She mocked and Jack's eyes narrowed. He pushed her roughly to the side with his hand on her cheek.

"Tell me. NOW!" He yelled.

"Or what? You'll kill me like your father killed your mother?!" She screamed frustrated and stood. Before she could even blink, a huge wave of wind slammed her against the wall behind her and Jack's staff penetrated the wall next to her so far, that its round end trapped her head.

"Don't EVER speak of her again! You don't know anything!" He threatened darkly and pointed a finger at her. Tooth blinked a few times in shock. She saw it.

Hurt.

Anger.

Frustration.

All present in his eyes. She knew it wouldn't be the best idea to push him further, but hell, he deserved this. She narrowed her eyes. "Or maybe you should send me in the cold outside. Banished, like Emma, huh?!"

Within two seconds he stood in front of her.

"One more word and your heart will freeze slowly in between my hand." Being shocked was an understatment for her current feelings. "Now tell me."

"No!" Jack punched the wall next to her head and Tooth squeezed her eyes shut.

"Alright, alright!" She exclaimed frustrated. "Geez, Duke, I would gladly tell you about my reasons to travel through space. But you took me as a slave! Why would I tell you?"

His eyes roamed her face and he could see a light bruise. "Who did this?" He asked softly and traced his index finger down her cheek.

"Why? Do you care?" Tooth asked mockingly and his eyes narrowed.

"No. I do not care about anything!" He spat.

After a long pause Tooth sighed. "I was on my way to a friend." She lied and Jack's eyes remained cold.

"All alone?" He raised one brow and saw her bit her lip. Oh, and she didn't know what she did to him with this..

"Yep." She popped the 'p'. "All.. alone." Tooth looked nervous and Jack smirked.

"No one knew huh? Quite the rebel." He whistled and Tooth hung her head. "I don't buy this. Well, in the end it's their loss-" He leaned forward. "And my win." He whispered in her ear.

There was no chance, that the King and Duke would use her information to defeat Pitch. They don't trust her. Not one bit.

She missed home.

Tooth shoved him away. "I know it was dumb! Why do I even tell you this? You give a damn about a slave! You're a Duke and everyone listens to you!" She trailed off.

_'Besides you' _He thought. Slowly he reached for his staff and freed it from the wall. He trailed his finger above the hole and froze it shut. With one last glance to Tooth he walked out the room.

"Hey-"

"Come. The King demands your presence." He said the exact same words she used five minutes ago. He didn't say anything to her little outburst.

* * *

Tooth knelt and clawed at the ground. The gravity was nearly too much for her to handle and she coughed to get more oxygen into her lungs.

"Your spaceship contained a few noticable things." The King said and stood in front of her. Tooth looked up with hateful glares. She knew she couldn't trust them. Point proven.

No one else was in the throne room. The King ushered Jack back to his training once they came back from their 'meeting'.

"Just kill me already!" She screamed and the King rose a brow.

"Why would I do that?" He grabbed his chin.

"We both knew I wouldn't do any good now, do we?" She spat sarcastic.

"You're missing the point here." He walked around her. "Your ship was defect. It seems it was intentional." Tooth looked up in shock.

"What?!"

"Hush!" He kicked her and she rolled to her side. "It was intentional, which leads to the question: Why would you travel through space with a defect ship?"

Tooth gasped at the sharp pain. "I told you already!" She panted. "I crash landed here! I didn't knew what happened!" Tooth thought back. There was indeed the chance her ship was flawed. She didn't really checked. But he said it was intentional and this shocked her the most.

"You will talk! I will find a way!" He yelled and walked to his seat. He pushed a button and Tooth shrieked at the extra gravity.

"Please!" She screamed. The pressure was too much, her brain couldn't focus straight and her vision blurred. After a few seconds it lessened again and Tooth breathed out. "I- I don't know why." A tear rolled down her cheek. "I don't know."

"Maybe a punishment will make you talk." He said thoughtfully and yelled for a warrior. The door opened and Bunny walked in. His eyes widened at Tooth's figure laying on the ground. She was dirty, her clothes ripped and tears rolled down her cheek.

"Bunnymund, take her to the _Ishta_."

"What?!" He exclaimed shocked. "This must be a mistake, she-" Bunny tried to soothe the King, but he cut him off.

"Bunnymund! Take. her. to. the. _Ishta_! NOW!" He said coldly and Bunny didn't knew what to do. "Bunnymund!" Bunny rushed forward. He hoisted Tooth's shaking figure up in his arms and walked out of the room.

"Bunny. I swear, I didn't know." She mumbled and Bunny tightened his grip.

"I know."

"I didn't know." She cried softly and hid her face in his armor. Bunny didn't know if he could let this happen. He thought, that the contents of the ship would prove her intelligence. What had gone wrong? "Where do we go?" She whimpered.

"I will find a way to get you out of there." He soothed and knew, he would have fulfil his promise. Otherwise she would break, soon.

* * *

"Who dares to disturb my training?" Jack asked, but didn't stop in his movements. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Bunny. "What do you want now, kangaroo?"

"I'm a bunny." He stated. "But this is about something else." Jack stopped.

"I hope this is important!" He threatened and Bunny nodded.

"Toothiana." Bunny simply said and saw nothing in Jack's face. Not a move, not a single emotion. He gritted his teeth. "Do you know what the hell the King did to her?"

Jack shrugged. "He send me away before."

"He sent her to the _Ishta_." He saw Jack's grip slightly tighten around his staff. "She doesn't deserve this."

"Life isn't fair. Some realize this easily, some the hard way." Jack said and walked around the room.

"You can't just let her suffer in this! She will break!" Bunny yelled and walked to the Duke. "You know this!"

Jack swatted his hand away. "I am in the middle of my training. So get the hell out of here!"

Bunny thought he heard wrong. "You can't be serious! She might be useful for the war with P-!"

"Yeah!" Jack yelled. "She will be useful in the _Ishta_ now! My father said so. Or do you contradict the King's decision?" Jack glared at Bunny. He and Jack mostly had arguments, but normally they could count on each other.

"No." Bunny said defeated. He couldn't just go back to the King and say 'Hey, I really think your decision was bad. Maybe you could overthink it?' Bunny laughed humorless. "When she isn't the same person anymore, it'll be your fault, Duke Frost." With that Bunny exited the room and left Jack behind.

Once alone Jack screamed. What was it about the girl? She was a slave! Nothing more! There were plenty of slaves!

"_Oshja pangra nimbu slev!_"**_(Add randomly harsh insults) _**He tossed his staff away. It's all her fault! If she hadn't the body she has! He should go after her and take here there and then. Then he would be free of this strange feeling inside of him. He held back way too much.

He took his staff and walked out of the room, straight to the _Ishta_.

* * *

Tooth woke up due to a strange scent and opened her eyes slowly. She didn't recognize this. It was a bathroom and her body lay in a tube filled with warm water and Tooth sighed happily, before jumping.

"What the-?" She exclaimed and the door opened. Tooth shrieked and tried to cover her most private parts with her hands.

A rather beautiful alien walked in and lay clothes down on the sink, before turning her attention to Tooth, who eyed her curiously. "Where am I?" She remembered the King yelling at her, telling her her ship was defect. Something cringed inside of her. Who would sabotage a mission back home?

The alien pointed to the clothes on the sink and then at Tooth.

"Ok, I get dressed. Great. But where am I?" She pointed her finger at everything before shrugging purposefully. The alien smiled sad and walked out. "Ok, not that talkative." Tooth shrugged and stood.

"Whoa." Her clothes were rather smooth and remembered her of the bollywood movies on Earth _**(Up to your imagination)**_. With every step her bracelets on her arms and foot jingled. She giggled. Maybe she gained trust. Maybe she could finally call home. She hopped around the room, before stepping out, but something- someone pushed her back inside and Tooth grunted.

"What do you think you're doing?!" She heard Jack's voice and was surprised.

"What?" Jack grabbed her upper arms tightly.

"Don't 'what' me!" Tooth didn't know why he was so upset and knitted her brows.

"Well, your father sent me here. I did it! I gained his trust!" She smiled and Jack's mouth hung open. He shoved her away, before glaring at her.

"You don't get it, do you?!"

"What is your problem?!"

"You're at the _Ishta_!"

"The what?" She asked and a bad feeling bubbled in her stomach. He rolled his eyes.

"Ishta. The place where you'll satisfy other man's needs in every way possible. Mostly for men, who came back from a mission and are _dearly_ in need of your attention." He stated and eyed Tooth's figure. Gosh, those clothes were made from satan himself.

"But- I- Your father?" She didn't know what to say. She thought her life turned for the better! But this was worse!

"What the hell did you do?!" He yelled and Tooth sat down on the tube's edge, holding onto for dear life.

"I don't know. I just remember.. He spoke to me about my ship." Her eyes widened. "He kicked me." She spat. "He said my ship was intentional defect. But I don't fucking know why! So don't ask me dumb questions, too!"

Jack rushed forward and leaned down to her eye-level, grabbing the tube's edge with his hands. "You don't speak to me like that." He whispered darkly and Tooth gulped. "Intentional, huh?" He mused. "What was the last thing you spoke about to your father?"

Tooth shot him a curious look. "You don't think my father knew and sabotaged the ship?"

"Could be."

Dread settled in. If it was true: Why would he do that? Her own father?

"Nah." She laughed nervously. "He wouldn't do that. And there were too many ships. He couldn't know, which ship I would use. Besides: I'm his daughter. He loved me." She said more to convince herself than Jack.

"Loved you?"

"Yeah." She nodded and Jack stepped back.

"I don't know what this 'love' is, but I think I'll have a talk with my father." He said and walked out of the room, but Tooth grabbed his wrist.

"Wait! Why did you come here?" Jack looked at her. He freed his wrist and vanished, leaving a startled Tooth behind. In fact, he only stopped back then, because he saw her happy expression. No girl was this happy being in here.

So naive.

* * *

"Father." Jack greeted the King and sat beside him. Before him, a warrior held down a man. He trashed around wildly, but the warrior's grip didn't slackened.

"Where are you from?" Jokul asked and the man shrieked.

"From the suburb. Please! My family is starving. We need the food!" He begged and Jokul waved his hand.

"Bring him to the dungeon and let him out after two days. This'll teach him." He said annoyed and Jack watched as the man trashed and begged. Jack's father only did the best for the royals. He completely forgot about the people outside of the palace.

"What is it, son?" Jokul turned to Jack.

"I wanted to know about the ship from the woman." He said, like it didn't matter.

"Oh, I hope she'll have a good time in the Ishta." Jokul smiled. "Maybe I'll pay her a visit." Jack's gut clenched. That was disgusting. His own father with a girl his own age.

"Father, why is she down there?"

"Jack!" He said slightly angry. "Why do you ask so much about the slave?"

Jack clenched his hand around the end of his staff. "I just want to know." He mumbled.

"Anyway, did you learn to handle your power?" Jokul waved at a warrior and signaled him to bring him something to drink. "You know this'll be our only chance to win."

Jack sighed. "I know. I train very hard, but I think everytime I'm close I fall five steps back." He admitted.

"I expected nothing more." He said derogatively. "Just like your mother."

This did it and Jack lunged forward, using his staff to trap his father to his seat. "Don't you dare take her name in your mouth!" He spat and pushed a little more, before stepping back. "It's your fault anyway."

Suddenly Jack lay ten feet away on his stomach, groaning loudly. "Don't forget that I'm older, therefore stronger than you, boy!" Jokul yelled. "I must say, I'm impressed by how weak you are. I think you have to go on a new mission."

Jack's eyes widened. "No." He mumbled. "No. I am not going." He yelled and used his staff for balance. "You know, what happened the last time."

"Yes. So you have to prove you have gained strength."

"No way!" Jack spat furiously.

"You refuse?" Jokul raised one eyebrow suggestively. Jack gritted his teeth. He knew where this would end. He would threaten to let his mother suffer for his decision.

"Fine. I'll go."

* * *

Tooth paced the bathroom, determined not to go out. She was nervous, her heart beat fast and she panted.

"No, no, no." She heard someone walk in and turned to find the alien again. She smiled sadly and Tooth shook his head. "No way! Never! Forget it!" She held up her hand to keep her at distance. "No."

The alien hung her head, but turned around and exited the room. Tooth breathed out. She needed to get out of here.

The door slammed open and a large man entered and looked around furiously.

"_Kopka!_" Tooth didn't know what he said, but she knew it wasn't something good. She stepped around the tube, bringing it between her and the man. She saw him eye her up and down and she suppressed the urge to puke.

"Don't come near me!" She said, but it came out like a squeak. Her limbs trembled and everything in her screamed at her to run. The man growled and stepped around the tube, but Tooth moved around, too. It was childish, like a game of cat-and-mouse, but gosh, she would rather be childish than ravaged by this man.

They moved around the tube a few more times, before the man screamed and kicked the tube, causing it to shatter and the water to sprawl around their feet.

"Uh oh." She said and slowly backed away and turned around to run out of the room as fast as she could. Out of the bathroom she paused at the sight before him. It really looked like a huge harem.

'Ah! That's it! _Ishta_.' She thought.

Two strong arms grabbed her from behind and she trashed around instinctly, kicked out and screamed. Anything to get out of his hold. The woman inside the harem just watched her emotionless. They all knew what would take place.

* * *

Bunny rushed through the corridors towards the Ishta. He came back from a mission down in the suburb and hoped, that Toothiana wouldn't be in trouble. But his hopes shattered as he entered the room and heard loud screaming and things shatter. He cringed, but ignored all the eyes on him and walked towards the bathroom.

He opened the door and nearly choked on air.

The room was a mess. The tube was shattered, the floor was wet and every possible thing Toothiana could grab served as a missile. He couldn't blame her. He saw the state she was in. Scratches here and there, but the worst to look at was a huge rip in her clothes from the centre between her chest down to her stomach.

Bunny growled. He didn't like this one bit, but as he eyed the man, he was kinda proud of Toothiana. He had a gash at his temple and blood run down his face. He would tell her later. Now he had to get her out of here and grabbed his boomerang.

* * *

Tooth sobbed into the pillow. She curled into a ball and tears of humiliation ran down her face. Bunny may have rescued her and brought her to a separate room with a lock, but still.

_'No. No more. Tonight I will leave this place.'_ She thought.

* * *

**A/N:** L_ong chapter! Hope you liked it!_

_Stay tuned and leave me a review!_


	5. Two Alone In Space

**Point Of No Return**

**A/N: **_Be prepared! It's getting exciting!_

* * *

Tooth's stomach growled and she clutched her belly. She was a slave for nearly two days and ate barely, but still, she didn't touch the food Bunny brought her after her horrifying experience in the_ Ishta. _She cried until no more tears would escape her eyes. Tooth was a sixteen year old human being, who was raised with morals; no slave, in order to satisfy other men's needs. This was wrong.

So she thought of a way to escape, but everything she remembered didn't help her. She remembered being in a cell a few floors down, then in a kitchen a floor over it and last but not least the dining hall and throne room she guessed was the first floor. She couldn't remember the way to her current room or the _Ishta, _the thought of the latest gave her goosebumps.

"No. I will escape and if it'll be the last thing I do." She mumbled and hugged herself, imagining it was her father doing it.

* * *

Two floors over Tooth's room, a certain and very angry Duke walked through the corridors. His father did the same like last time Jack didn't fulfilled his expectations.

Sending him on a planet with high gravity, so he had to train to withstand it. And training would bring him further controlling his powers he didn't at the moment. But this was by far not the best news.

It would be a planet controlled by none other than Pitch.

Everyone on this planet would be after him, so the gravity would be the least of his worries. But why would the King send his own son and only heir to the throne send him on a planet this dangerous?

"Because my old man would simply produce a new heir." Jack gritted through his teeth, answering the question in his mind for the fourth time. He survived four times in his eighteen years on a hostile planet. Four times his father sent him away.

"And this will be the fifth." Jack walked down the corridors until he got to the dungeons, in order to speak to the only woman in his life, who would understand him.

* * *

"Don't you dare stop me!" Tooth shouted, pointing at Bunny in front of her. He held up his hands in defeat.

"I would do anything to make it better for you here! You're like my little sister! But when you escape right now, your punishment will be death! Tell me, Toothiana, is this what you want?" Tooth hung her head at his words. Of course she didn't want to die, but staying here would slowly kill her mind and she would rather die physical than mental.

"I have to, I need to and I will!" She said and looked at Bunny. She never saw his full face, only his green eyes due to the armor. But they showed her his conflict. If he helped her, he would most likely be killed alongside with her. "Bunny, I wouldn't want you in any danger, you know that. You're the only one helping me here, but I can't do this."

Bunny knew she was right. After all, she didn't belong here. "I will help-" He was cut off by Tooth hugging him at this and he chuckled lightly and held her. "But I can only help you in a subtle way." He said and Tooth raised one brow in confusion.

* * *

It was dark and the air reeked disgusting. Jack scrunched his nose and tried to ignore it for the next five minutes. He was now at the rock bottom of the palace, where the criminals and the likes were caged. He could make out faint noises, telling him that some people slowly lost their sanity and some other were in pain. He trailed his staff along the bars, making loud noises and the people inside shrunk back in fear.

But one didn't shrunk, but crawled towards the bars.

"Jack." A woman's voice croaked and said man could make out a slight smile on her face. He twirled his staff in front of her cage, creating a block where he could sit down.

"Mother." He said quiet. If you listened carefully enough, you could hear the pain, yet happy tone in his voice.

"What makes you come back here,_ bushma_?" **(my little boy)** She asked sincere. Jack could see dust on her face, but dried tears formed a pattern on it. Her once royal blue clothes were ripped, bloody and dirty. All in all Jack got angry every time he visited her. She was his mother and he did not want her to suffer, but he couldn't change it at the moment. His father would kill them both.

"I have to go on another mission." He said simply, not feeling selfish to tell her about his problems, when it was his mother, who suffered the most. But she was an understanding person and always did everything for him.

She raised a dirty hand through the bars and lightly put it on his cheek. Jack's outer appearance didn't falter, but on the inside the touch sent sparks of warmth through his cold body. "You always do the things you think are right. That's why you've come so far and you will continue."

His mother never expected him to be the best warrior or the best King. She only wanted, that he was happy.

That's why he had to save her.

He gripped her hand and squeezed it, but didn't say anything else to her as he made his way back.

* * *

Tooth's new mission was to get to the hangar on the planet. Bunny told her everything he knew about the palace. Apparently the palace itself was a huge carved block of ice, integrated in the earth below. There were six floors in total, five of them in the earth, so the throne and dining room were the only rooms on the first floor.

"Appearances are deceitful." She mumbled under her helmet. Now she was on the fourth floor, where the warriors would train. There were a few empty rooms with beds for those, who overdid it and didn't reach there homes to sleep. But this honour was only for the first class. All the others had to walk to their homes, which were a few hundred feet behind the palace walls.

Bunny gave her armour in style for the first class warriors, so no one would be suspicious of her. The whole armour was heavy and to big for her, but Bunny helped her filling the spaces out with sheets or blankets on her arms, legs, foot and belly. He also brought fur, which he cut in form of a wig to hide her hair in.

There was also a little device on her temple, which could change her current lilac eyes into blue ones. It was hidden beneath the helmet and Tooth nearly drooled as Bunny told her about all the devices they had on this planet.

He showed her the few hidden tunnels, which were only shown to insiders. Now she only had to follow them and she would end at the hangar, which was likely hidden and further afar as the suburbs. It was closely-guarded, but Tooth was a genius, so she thought there would be no problem to cause some problems down there.

But right now Tooth had to show her genius, in order to escape only the palace. Alone, since Bunny tried to distract the other warriors.

* * *

Jack marched to his room on the second floor to prepare everything necessary for his mission. He didn't know which planet his father would send him, so he ordered the slaves to fill his ship with fuel, food and water for the next two months. As the slaves rushed off, an alarm went on and Jack walked up to his desk, pressing the red blinking button.

_'Criminal attempt to escape'_ his computer said monotone and Jack's eyes went slightly larger.

"Show." After his words, the image of a man came into his view. He suppressed the urge to laugh. He used his index finger to point at the man, a circle around his face appeared and then Jack moved his finger to the right. The man's biography materialized and Jack narrowed his eyes.

"No way." He mumbled and pressed another button and his computer shut down. He rushed out of his room and headed for the dungeons. That man was dead. Jack knew this, because this man was the first, he had to imprison. He died a few weeks later. Jack would never forget it.

That's something else entirely.

* * *

Tooth heard a noise, which sounded nearly like when someone tried to escape back on earth. Her heartbeat increased. Either they knew she tried to escape or Bunny's distraction was successfull. According to the warriors rushing past her, it was his distraction.

"Hey! Why are you up here?!" A warrior yelled at her as he pumped his fist against her shoulder.

"Uh- Mh, I didn't know wher-" She imitated a deep voice and hoped it worked.

"Whatever! Now come!" He demanded and pushed her in the opposite direction, where she came from. She sighed, but ran alongside him. This didn't went smooth.

But Tooth remembered one of the hidden tunnels a floor below and cheered inside of her. She could turn this to her advantage. She ran down the stairs, glanced over her shoulders and in front of her before she pushed the icy wall. Only insider knew, that the nearly invisible cracks in the ice behind the blue tapestry would be the trigger to open them.

She moved her hand along the crack, but didn't notice, that one saw her disappearing in the tunnel.

* * *

Jack leaned against the wall.

"Now, that was interesting." He mumbled and headed in the other direction. He knew, that all this was a distraction. That someone changed the biography of the dead man. He had to figure out who and why, but now he would follow the warrior, who vanished through the hidden tunnels.

* * *

Tooth made sure the door was firmly closed behind her. As she turned around, she gasped. The way was lit by a few torches. You could say it was melancholic, but Tooth had other worries now. She had to find her way to the hangar.

"Place one hand against the wall, once you reached the right way, the wall will slightly vibrate." She repeated Bunny's words and began to walk.

Step one: Done.

After around ten minutes and more than enough dead ends she found the right way, completly ignoring the noise of footsteps above her. The wall vibrated slightly and Tooth began to ran. Not good as things turned out.

"Arghhh!" The floor under her gave in and Tooth shrieked at the loss of soil contact. Her quick thinking saved her life. She grabbed the slippery edge with her hand, the other hung beside her and the force of the fall let her crash against the wall, knocking the wind out of her. She grabbed the edge with her other hand immediately to steady herself.

She looked down and saw a dark room, but the torches in the tunnel showed her dead bodies lying on the ground there. Tooth bit her lip and lifted herself up. On her knees she panted and waited for her pulse to calm.

"There are a few traps. Be on your guard, once you reached the right way. It wouldn't be the first time a slave tried to escape and found out about the tunnels." Tooth said sarcastic. "How could you forget, Tooth." She scolded and got up. "I'm getting crazy." She shook her head and slowly made her way to the hangar again.

* * *

Jack disappeared into the tunnels next to his room. This tunnel made sure, he didn't get into trouble. Being the Duke definitely has its benefits and he walked through the tunnels with one of his finger on the vibrating wall.

A little device made sure, that the wall leading to the _Jupshka_ was constantly vibrating. Like an autonomic nervous system. Now he only had to follow it.

* * *

Tooth saw warriors and plopped her head back behind the wall. She felt like the female version of James Bond and damn she could be the screenwriter for the next movie. Or Lara Croft. She shook her head to get rid of these thoughts and turned her upper body slightly to get to her backpack behind her.

She grabbed a little device in it, pushed a button, earning her a beeping-sound, and threw it into one of the other tunnels. After five seconds the device exploded and the tunnel collapsed. The ground shook and Tooth placed her hand against the wall to steady herself.

She pressed herself against the wall as the two warriors ran past her. She breathed out and rushed to the white door they were guarding. She placed her hands on it, trying to find out, where the pad would be to open the door.

Tooth knew she only had a few seconds left, before more warriors would show up and she banged her fists against the wall, cursing quietly.

* * *

Jack heard the loud noise of an explosion and increased his pace. After three turns to the right he saw the debris. A few icy rocks rolled down the huge hole above and he slowly stepped forward. He closed his eyes and could hear two confused warriors behind the barricade. He lifted his staff with still closed eyes and stopped as it made contact.

He concentrated his power and channeled it through his staff into the barricade, slowly freezing it into a solid block. Jack opened his eyes and stomped his staff against the block, which shattered into thousand little pieces. He ignored the shocked warriors and froze the hole above the tunnel.

Jack lifted his eyes and made out another warrior, banging against the white door.

* * *

"Piece of shit!" Tooth cursed and kicked against the wall, but to no avail. She turned around and saw Jack standing with the two warriors. Her eyes widened and she ran back to her hiding place in one of the tunnels.

She ran deeper into the tunnel and thought about the door, but didn't know where the trigger could be. There was no pad or cracks in the wall near the door, so it must be somewhere along the outside.

"The vibration!" She exclaimed and put her hand against the wall, feeling it. "Yeah, it's definitely stronger near the hangar." So she followed it, searching for the location, where it would be the strongest.

* * *

Jack wanted to follow the warrior, who ran away once he turned around, but the two warriors held him back.

_"It's too dangerous, Duke."_

_"Why are you down here, Duke?"_

_"We should get you to a safer place, my Duke."_

_"There's a criminal at large, Duke!"_

"Shut up!" Jack yelled and raised his hands. "Shut up, before I loose my mind and kill both of you!" He walked past the baffled men and ran into the direction the fishy warrior disappeared, but stopped. "You-" He pointed back at them. "Go, search the tunnels! There might be another criminal in warrior armour! But bring him to me first, understood?!" He yelled and the men nodded, before rushing through the other tunnels.

Jack watched them, before he turned around and placed his staff against the ground.

He concentrated again, feeling the ice underneath his bare foot moving. Jack narrowed his eyes.

"Normally the movements are stronger." He could feel the footsteps from the running warrior, but it was not the same with the other men. It was lighter, barely noticeable. He followed them nonetheless.

* * *

Tooth panted heavily, fear evident in her body. If the Duke found her, everything would be over.

"No, no, no!" She mumbled and ran faster, feeling the vibration getting stronger. No, she wouldn't get caught! Her urge to get away - to be home was greater than being a slave for the rest of her life, which would likely end soon.

She ran and realized the vibration lessened. "Shit!" She turned around, and eyed the wall next to her intense as she walked back slowly. The dim light didn't help her, but she felt a small invagination as she moved her hand over it. The vibration was strongest there and Tooth bend down to inspect it further.

A small, barely noticeable blue light under one of the torches glinted and Tooth tore the torch from its holder, throwing it away. She moved her hands over it again, but found no hole.

Tooth shrieked as she banged her armoured fist against the icy wall, shattering the space in front of the light. She took a step forward, hearing the splinters crack under her feet and placed her hands above and under the cap, which illuminated blue, and tore it out of its place. Underneath the cap were screened, three wire cables and Tooth overlooked it in a matter of seconds.

She loved her parents for giving her the genius gene. In ten seconds and a few cuts with a knife Bunny hid in the backpack, she knew, which cable was linked with another.

Tooth cut four cables and she heard faint shouting and trampling above the tunnel, apparently because she invalidated the computer network in the palace and with it the door locks.

"Yes!" She cheered and wanted to run back in the direction of the hangar, but stopped in her tracks.

* * *

Jack felt that the warrior pause and didn't move around. Did he faint? No, he would have felt the impact of the armour on the ground. So what the hell did he do out there?

"Yes!" Jack heard a female voice and he raised one brow. A woman? Whoever it was, was not authorized to be in the tunnels. Now the female moved in his direction, but almost instantly turned around and ran away from him.

Was the Duke that obvious?

* * *

Tooth was not stupid. Jack saw her run away, so he most likely followed her. She hoped he didn't knew, who she was, otherwise she was screwed. She had to act fast now and ran towards the next intersection, gripping the edge of the wall to smoothly turn into another tunnel without loosing any speed.

"I'm too old for this!" She mumbled and nearly got killed by arrows shooting out of either side of the wall, hadn't it been up to her crouching. "Suck me sideways!" She spat and stood. Tooth looked back, but didn't saw any figure, so she started to run again, feeling the vibration leading her way back.

* * *

"I don't have time for this game of cat-and-mouse!" Jack yelled and turned around. The intruder would be back at the hangar, so Jack decided to wait there.

* * *

Tooth panted heavily, not being used to run this much. On her way, one warrior asked her, what she did down here, but she rushed past him, knocking him over with her left arm outstreched.

"Sorry!" She yelled over her shoulder and mock saluted. She didn't noticed, that the man used his communicator to warn the other warrior. Tooth saw the white door to the hangar open and increased her pace again.

* * *

Jack waited in one of the tunnels and knew the intruder was near. He heard the warning from another warrior and decided to let things slide, leaning against the wall. After a few minutes he saw the 'warrior' ran towards the door, but it slowly closed due to an emergency button, pressed by the forewarned warrior.

"Shit!" He heard and Jack popped his head around the corner to see the door, which was halfway down. There was no way the intruder would success. But fate decided against his opinion as he saw the intruder slide the rest to the door and flung himself onto the ground, rolling underneath the it to the other side before it was fully closed.

Jack raised his brow.

"Wow." He was impressed. The intruder was not only capable of shutting down every computer and unlocking all doors in the palace, but was suited for being a first class warrior with that flexibility.

* * *

Tooth rolled a few times and opened her eyes. A few warriors looked at her strangely.

"Ähmm-" She coughed and stood. "The Duke told me to guard the place here. There was a disguised warrior outside." She faked a deep voice and the men narrowed her eyes. She pointed her thump over her shoulder. "He was outside the door and told me like a few seconds ago." She added and didn't wait for an answer, trying to get away now.

Nobody looked after her. They didn't know and Tooth sighed.

_'Next mission: Duke Jack Frost heading to Bis'noha in half an hour' _She heard the monotone voice of a computer through the huge and turned her head to the side. Her mouth hung open.

There was no obvious screen - more like a touchscreen on glass, segmented in various arrangement by blue/greenish outlines. There was a tower before the huge screen with men sitting in it. The hangar itself was a huge, icy room without windows. Hundrets of spaceships were parked here and Tooth realized, that this planet was also involved in war.

So far away from Earth, yet the war reached billions of planets in the whole universe. Incredible. Incredibly creepy.

She moved to find a spaceship and saw some slaves running out of one. It was round and perhaps consisted of two little floors. Not too big and not too small. Tooth whistled.

* * *

Jack walked back to the throne room. He wouldn't tell his father, that he saw the intruder. His father can handle it himself and it would be a good chance to get back at him. So he threatened the warriors in the tunnels to not spill a single word of the previous events to anyone.

Once in the throne room, his father didn't look up and tapped his fingers on the seat. Jack didn't know what to do now and twirled his staff, so it rested against his shoulder.

"I'm off now." Jack deadpanned and turned around, ready to leave his home planet behind.

"Better be. I have other worries." He heard the mumbling of his father, but Jack knew he wouldn't get a proper goodbye. He was used to this.

_'I'll come back. Stronger. And then I pretend to the throne.'_

* * *

As nobody looked she climbed in the spaceship and was baffled about the size. From outside it looked so much smaller than from the inside. She bit her cheek to suppress the urge to analyze it.

The technology here could be of great use.

But for now she had to find a place to hide.

* * *

Jack asked the master of the hangar, if his ship was ready for take-off. He nodded and wished him luck, but Jack didn't answered, raising his hand in a mock salute.

On his way to the ship he thought back. Which female would use the tunnels and wear armour? He couldn't think of anyone.

The woman was in the Ishta, he knew. She would be most likely dead, when he would come back. "Good, so I don't have to think about her, don't have to smell her scent and don't have to see her face." He said to no one in particular and climbed in his ship, closing the door behind him.

He knew this ship. It was the same like last time he went on a mission and he headed straight to the cockpit of it. He sat down on one of the two chairs and started the engine.

_'Ready for take-off in twenty seconds'_ He heard the voice outside and relaxed in his chair, gripping the control stick. He felt the ship lift up and he pressed a few buttons to roll in the ramps.

_'Five, four, three, two, one'_ With that Jack pressed the red button on the stick, indicating to maneuver the ship himself. He pushed the stick forward and the ship increased his speed to exit through the opened doors in the ceiling of the hangar. Jack pressed another button and started the hyper drive to exit through the atmosphere of Ar'Kit.

_'Breaking atmosphere in three, two-'_

That's when the ship shook violently and Jack gripped the holders above him to steady himself. "What the fuck?!" He yelled.

_'Malfunction. Losing altitude' _His computer announced and Jack gritted his teeth.

"Point out!" He nearly screamed and the computer materialized in front of him the ship from outsider's view. A line pointed to the belly of the ship and information about the damage popped up.

_'Three out of seven thrusters are damaged'_

"Great!" He exclaimed and switched to autopilot and unhooked himself. He felt, that the ship was now on free fall. In like two minutes the ship would crash land and he would be flat like a pancake.

He stumbled through his ship, unable to find solid ground and ran to the belly of the ship, where the control room would be. After opening the hatch and climbing down the latter he opened a box and pulled down the lever.

The fall of the ship lessened as the emergency thrusters came to life. Now he had to fix the other thrusters, but he didn't know what the hell was wrong.

He climbed up the latter again and used the another one on the opposite of the room, where the control panel was located. He leapt down and turned around, but found someone else before the control panel.

"Who the hell are you?!" He screamed over the loud noise of the ship and pushed the man in warrior armour away, sending him onto the ground. Jack's eyes widened at the sight.

Blue eyes slowly turned into lilac ones. That was the woman!

* * *

"What the-?" Tooth yelled in anger. She knew what to do, yet someone disturbed her work. She held her temple and popped up on her elbows before looking up. "Oops." She said and eyed the shocked Duke in front of her.

That was the moment she realized that her helmet lay on the ground, along with the white fur and the device. "Fuck." She said and saw Jack shook his head.

"NO TIME FOR THIS NOW!" He screamed and turned his attention to the control panel. Tooth jumped on her feet, but in that moment the ship shook violently, sending her crashing against the wall. Tooth hissed in pain, but rushed forward to stand beside Jack.

"The control panel is sabotaged!" He screamed more to himself.

"No shit Sherlock!" She screamed, too, ignoring the annoyed expression in his face. "Let me fix it!"

"Can you?!"

Tooth gave him the _what-the-hell-do-you-think-huh?-look_ and Jack rolled his eyes. "Go ahead!" With that he rushed back to the cockpit.

Tooth eyed the control panel again. "Child's play." She grimaced at the throbbing pain in her side, but she concentrated at the work. She grabbed one cable and tore the sheathing, threading the wires back together with other cables.

_'Two out of seven thrusters are damaged. Soil contact in thirty seconds' _She heard the computer and focused harder, ignoring the shouts from Jack.

No, this wouldn't be the end! She got to far to let it end like this.

* * *

Jack bared his teeth and tried to get the ship under control, sweat forming on his forehead.

_'Soil contact in ten seconds'_ The computer announced.

"Woman!" He screamed over his shoulder. He needed all thrusters to work. He only let her at the panel, because he didn't know what to do. Either she didn't know too and they both would died, or she was a genius, like she confirmed to him back in the palace.

_'Thrusters are ready to take action'_

"Yes! YES, activate them!" He screamed at the computer, who proceed and Jack pulled the control stick to him, sending the ship up towards the space. He slumped in his chair, needing time to calm his rapid heartbeat and felt the adrenalin fading.

That was close.

The computer asked about the coordinates and Jack put them in the navigator, before he went to the control room. One problem solved, the next one right ahead.

He didn't know, if he would simply kill her now or kick her off the ship on the next planet. But one thing was for sure: She would regret entering this ship.

* * *

**A/N: **_S__end **teensophie-draws** (tumblr) a BIG hug! She drew an awesome image from Tooth in sci-fi clothes! Check it out! I'm so happy I think I'm about to faint *thump* .._

_Okay and a big, big hug for you guys for following, favouring and reviewing this story so far! It really encourages me!_

_Stay tuned and leave me a review!_


	6. Black Hole

**Point Of No Return**

* * *

Tooth felt the ship steadying and she clutched her side. That shit holder will definitely leave a bruise on her side. Placing both of her hands on the wall, she bent down and hung her head.

"_Geez._" She breathed out. The adrenalin faded and the pain only increased.

"Woman!" She heard and rolled her eyes.

After a few deep breaths she closed her eyes in annoyance. "I have a name, you know?"

"Do you?" Someone whispered in her ear.

"Woah!" Tooth cried out and turned around, coming face to face with Jack. She didn't know how he did that, her training back on Earth contained sensing someone creeping up behind you. That guy seriously needed to make himself known. "Talk about heart attacks!" She raised her hand to her chest, trying to control her breathing.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" He yelled angry.

"I could ask you the same!" She retorted and in a second, Jack had her pushed against the wall. The impact caused Tooth's face to twist in pain.

"I won't repeat myself." He stated calmly and Tooth swallowed.

"I- I was.. You know what? How about you thank me for saving our lives first, huh?" Jack's brows rose. This movement annoyed her the most and she poked his chest with her finger. "So?"

"You don't realize, that you're this-" He raised his hand and showed her the space between two of his fingers. It was little to nothing. "Far away from being killed. If I were you I would talk."

Tooth narrowed her eyes. "I told you I was a genius. I _am_ a genius! Figure it out on your own!" She tried to step around him, but he grabbed her upper arm and roughly pushed her against the wall again.

"And you don't realize that you're this-" She copied Jack's previous move. "Far away from being slapped." Tooth crossed her arms, trying to get something in between them. "Hard!"

Jack eyed her. "Take this clothes off." He deadpanned and Tooth's mouth hung open.

"How dare you? No fucking way, mister." She raised her hands, ready to push him away.

"Take it off!" He growled and tugged on the armour on her arm. "I don't want to see it!"

Tooth blinked. The armour? She totally forgot about them in their argument. But why wouldn't he want to see it? It's his reign's warrior armour, something he saw everyday. But she took them off, feeling instantly better. The armour was heavy!

But now there was the problem. She stood one feet away from Jack in ripped clothes_. _Said man watched every move of her and she suddenly felt self-conscious under his watchful eyes. "What now?"

"Now-" He began and took her hands in his and Tooth hissed at the coldness. He placed their hands above her head and his face came dangerously near her face. Tooth, head sideways, tried to dodge his face and struggle out of his grasp, but he was too strong. How can one man be this strong? The soldiers on Earth weren't that strong. She could take on some of them, but her father didn't approve it.

"Do you know what punishment will await you on Ar'Kit?" He asked and Tooth looked up to her hands, which felt oddly cold.

"Stop whatever you're doing!" She spat and struggled, but Jack's hands froze hers on the wall, forming a block of ice as a cage for her hands. "Asshole!"

"Oh, how unladylike." He smirked and crossed his arms, admiring his work.

"I saved your damn life! You should be thankful!"

"I could have done this in less time." He lied and shrugged, as though it was nothing remarkable.

"Then tell me, why your ship - the Duke's ship - was sabotaged." Now she smirked. Too bad she didn't saw the shortest look of true confusion, before his icy glare returned.

"Of course someone want revenge or something like that from royals. If you were a princess, like you said, you should know." Tooth gritted her teeth. A complete normal answer, but there was more to it.

"I don't think so."

"Well, nobody asked you to think." He retorted and traced his finger down her bare stomach. His eyes glanced over and a strange feeling took hold of him.

"Stop." He heard Tooth's whimper and his eyes focused again. He withdraw his finger from her stomach nearly shocked. After a pause and without saying anything else, he turned around.

"Wait, where the hell do you think you're going? Free me!" She demanded panicked. He wouldn't let her stay in here. Especially with the cold enveloping her tiny body without the shielding armour.

He only tilted his head back with a lopsided grin, before he walked back up to the control room.

But maybe it was for the best. Jack's hand on her was nothing she would want to feel again.

* * *

Jack leaned back in his chair and watched his ship doing the work. The computer materialized a little window, showing Tooth chained up by his ice. She screamed and struggled, but her strength didn't help her.

He smirked. She was truly a genius for breaking out of the palace without big trouble. He gave her credit for stealing armour of a first class warrior, for her swiftness and her quick thinking. But someone must have helped her. There was absolutely no way she could have escaped the _Ishta _on her own. And last not least, his ship was sabotaged.

His smirked vanished. It could have been anyone. But normally the master of the hangar would check his ship up on his own. Something like this never happened the other times.

Maybe the woman herself did it.

Why did he thought about it anyway? Why didn't he just kill her? Or took her right then and there to get rid of his physical attraction to her and kill her afterwards? She was a pain in the ass and would truly cause problems. For him and on Ar'Kit. His father would do a research and would be pissed as hell.

And he would have to endure her loud mouth. The women on his planet didn't scream like that. They didn't dare, but she was something else.

His ongoing thinking was cut off by the computer. _'Warning. Danger.' _Jack blinked a few times and realized, that he'd been thinking over an hour.

_'Warning. Danger'_ The computer repeated and Jack rolled his eyes. No shit, he thought. "Show." As the computer materialized the image of a black hole, his eyes grew wide.

_'Black hole. Radius: Ten suns of Ar'Kit. Approach in ten minutes.'_

Ten minutes. Jack had ten minutes to save his life. That woman really didn't attract fortune.

* * *

Tooth stopped her struggles as the computer alarmed. She sighed loudly. "What can possibly be worse now?" She didn't hear the computer, but she sure did hear someone punching or stomping above her. Not wanting to laugh out loud, she pressed her lips together, trying to get the image of a little Jack, who didn't get his candy and stomped angrily on the ground, out of her mind.

Then her bracelet on her foot beeped. She looked down and eyed it. "Jack, what happened?!" She screamed, not taking her eyes off the gravity-controlling device.

"We're in big, big trouble. Black hole." He simply shouted after some time and Tooth's eyes widened. No wonder her device reacted to the gravity of the black hole. It would most likely adapt to the gravity of the black hole, meaning she would crush.

"Jack! Get your ass down here!"

* * *

_**A/N:** Hope you liked this chapter! __Thanks for reviewing, favouring and following this story! Keep going!_

_Stay tuned and leave me a review!_


	7. Rising Emotions

**Point Of No Return**

* * *

_'Ok. No panic. No panic.'_

Tooth closed her eyes and breathed out loudly. She tried to crush the ice, which caged her hands, but it didn't melt, nor cracked. "Jack! I'm serious!" She yelled. He didn't come for her. The beeping of her gravity-controlling device quickened and sweat formed on Tooth's forehead. She felt the gravity increasing on herself, but she couldn't do anything.

_'Ok. panic.'_

She kicked out, trying to shake off the device on her foot, but it was too tight around her foot. There wasn't even a closing mechanism on it. It was like a solid ring out of concrete.

"Piece of shit!" She kicked furiously against it with her other foot, but the device didn't even stir. "Jack!" Tooth slowly felt like being ripped in two, due to the ice holding up her hands and the constantly gravity pulling her down.

* * *

In the meantime Jack's computer showed him the most important information about a black hole. Apparently it was an astronomical object, which gravity was extremely strong.

First off he started the thrusters, so the ship and the hole antagonized. It would buy him time to think of an actual plan.

_'Thrusters delay approach. Time: 17 Minutes'_ With that the computer popped up a window with his remaining time.

It was on.

"Gravity." He mumbled and held his chin. He heard the woman's cries, but he ignored them, staying focused. Jack wasn't skilled for an emergency like this, neither did one tell him that there was a hole on his way.

Jack groaned. "First the ship, now the hole. Fantastic."

"Jack!" He heard again and gripped the armrest tight. It was all her damn fault. Hadn't he been thinking about her words, he would have scanned his way to _Bis'noha. _All could have been prevented.

He shook his head. Now was not the time to think about this.

_'16:43' _Read the time and Jack cursed. He did not really understand those astronomical things.

"The woman." She was able to repair the control panel, so the thrusters were able to work properly. Maybe she could be of any help. But Jack didn't like the idea of her having his life in her hands - again.

_'15:32'_

"Shit!" He cursed and jumped down to the machine room, where the woman would be.

* * *

Tooth's vision slightly blurred and she didn't feel her arms, nor the rest of her body. She felt like she was on fire and her stomach turned from the gravity.

Someone slapped her slightly and she tried to focus, but she only saw something blue moving in front of her. Her thoughts drifted and she realized, that blue was actually a nice colour. Calm, yet strong. The ocean was blue and can be possessive throughout a storm, but also inviting and refreshing on a hot summer day.

And Jack's hoodie was blue, too. Yeah, he was quite handsome.

There she said it. Tooth found herself attracted to him, although he was a complete bastard. No, she did not love him. It was just attraction. Like she was attracted to the ocean.

_'Jack is like an ocean'_

* * *

"Come on, wake up!" He nearly yelled and slapped her face harder, but not strong enough to harm her. He had broken the block of ice and she instantly fell down like a sack of _gurbash_ **(potatoes)**.

He eyed her figure, while he kneeled in front of her face. "We don't have time to take a nap!" He yelled and shook her. "WAKE UP!"

Then he heard a beeping sound and looked at her bare foot. The device.

"Oh fuck." He deadpanned and looked at her sweating face. No wonder she lay there like a corpse with the device controlling the gravity on her body, which apparently was manipulated by the black hole. Jack placed the end of his staff on the device and concentrated.

It froze and Jack shattered it.

* * *

Tooth sighed in relief. Somehow the gravity lessened and she could breathe normally again, but she was tired. Her surroundings were too loud for her sensitive hearing and she punched, whatever was in front of her.

"Hey!" She heard and someone slapped her slightly, but she waved her hands in front of her face, blocking the attempts.

"No, five minutes." She mumbled grumpy, but her body jerked up and she shrieked. "Don't- Leave me alone!" She yelled and finally opened her eyes. "Whoa!" She shrieked and backed away from Jack. "What did I tell you about heart attacks?!"

"No time!" He said and grabbed her upper arm, jumping up the ladder into the cockpit. She felt a little dizzy, but not only from that jump Jack performed and her whole body was stiff.

"Jack, what is your problem?!" She yelled as she gripped the chair for support. She looked up at him and saw he pointed to the window.

"Oh, shit!" She totally forgot about the black hole.

"Do something!" He commanded and Tooth did not like it. Weren't it for their lives, she would argue with him, but now she had to think. She sat down on one of the chairs and overlooked the computer's information.

"Ten time Ar'kit's suns. Do you know the radius of it?" She asked Jack.

"Around three million _fuldos._"

"Fuldos?"

"Yeah. What about it?!" He yelled angry and Tooth sighed.

"How should I know what distance is expressed through one fuldo?! Scratch that!" Tooth let it slide and focused on the time.

_'12:13'_

"That's not right." She knitted her brows in concentration and typed in a few parameters.

_'24:26'_

"What did you do?!" Jack demanded and Tooth wanted to punch his face.

"Gosh!" She typed in numbers and formulas, while she explained herself. "As you know, black holes have extremely strong gravity, which is why your oh so advanced technology on my foot went haywire."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Does it matter now?"

"No. Simply saying." Tooth proceeded her research on the computer. "But the main point is, that the space around the black hole, which is why I asked you about the radius, is victim to the so called time dilatation."

Now Jack's eyes showed real confusion and Tooth looked at him for a second. "If a clock or any other processes in your or my world are in reach of a black hole with a stronger gravity than what we're used to, time slows down."

"That's why we actually have more time." Jack mumbled. "So any other person out of the gravity around the black hole sees us in slow motion?"

"Exactly." Tooth nodded and worked on a solution.

..

.

_'09:53'_

"Do you do actually anything good there?" Jack asked annoyed. "We don't have much time."

"Shut up!" Tooth exclaimed and Jack gritted his teeth.

"Watch your mouth. Once we're out of this, you'll regret it." After this words, Tooth smirked. He needed her, he won't kill her just yet. But in their given situation she didn't dare to laugh out loud.

"I try to convert the massive energy by the black hole into driving force by the ship. We do have hyper drive, right?" She suddenly asked shocked. If not, they're screwed.

"Of course, stupid woman." Jack shook his head in disbelief. How could she suggest something so ridiculous?

"Good." Tooth sighed. Her body nearly shut off from the pressure of the situation and previous torture by the gravity. She gritted her teeth. "Sit down, we have to do this together!"

After five seconds of thinking, Jack leaped into the other chair, waiting impatiently. He did not like her attitude towards him, but she'll see, what will happen, when someone pissed off the Duke.

"We have to start hyper drive when the computer beeps, but it will only beep when enough energy is available. Good thing your ship is able to save the energy from outside, otherwise we had to increase the kinetic energy in other ways." She rambled and Jack nearly blocked her out.

"Just tell me what to do." He grumbled.

"Once the computer beeps, you have to start the hyper drive. I'll take care of the rest." She stated. Her hands were starting to get sweaty.

_'Ok, Tooth. Once the kinetic energy of this ship is higher than the binding energy by the black hole, the hyper drive will get us out of here.'_ She thought to relax herself. She was in no condition to transform the energy _and_ prepare the hyper drive.

She would have to trust Jack.

..

.

_'04:31'_

A little bar on a separated window on the computer showed them, how much energy the ship contained.

"97,59 percent" Tooth rambled. "Jack, be ready."

Jack turned his chair to the side to another computer and he pressed a few buttons and held a lever, ready to activate the hyper drive.

_'01:05'_

Tooth bit her lip. Now they either get sucked into the black hole or her plan would work.

The computer beeped. _'Energy 100 percent'_

Jack levered and the ship's thrusters increased their force. In that moment, Tooth pressed a button and another hole appeared in front of the ship.

"What the hell?!" Jack yelled, but Tooth ignored it.

"Just freeze your damn eyes, if you're too scared!" She retorted and the ship lurched forward as it increased its speed into the hole.

After ten seconds of pure darkness the ship exited the hole.

"I don't even want to know what you did!" Jack exaggerated and Tooth slumped in her seat.

"I saved a little amount of energy and transformed it. I could form a hyperspace with it to bring enough space between us and the black hole." Tooth looked up at the computer. "Now we're-" Tooth stopped and swallowed.

"What?" Jack eyed her. "What the hell did you do?!"

"We're- We are nearly two light years away from _Bis'noha."_

Jack's eyes widened. "No way!"

"Yes. I thought the navigation would set the direction of the hyperspace." Tooth stopped. It was totally quiet. "Shit."

"What the hell." Jack breathed out and ran his hands over his face frustrated.

"It would take us over 4 years to get there with normal speed." Tooth deadpanned. "Our engine wouldn't make it through another hyperspace."

_'Compound an error'_ Jack thought sarcastically. "Let me in there now. I want to check, which planet is nearest." Jack stood and waited, till she stood and walked away.

Jack pressed a few buttons and the image of a planet with tropical condition popped up. "Gross. Heat."

_'Alba'na. Radius and Gravity: Half Ar'Kit. Galaxy: Elphus. Habitat: Troical, average temperatur 374 Humbi'_

"374?!" Jack exclaimed. "No way! I won't land there."

* * *

Tooth stumbled down the ladder into a room, which contained a bed. It was huge and Tooth fell down on it. She was so tired, she didn't even care, if Jack would kill her or not.

"So tired." She mumbled and closed her eyes. Tooth didn't even noticed the ship's jiggles.

* * *

"No! I don't want to! NO!" Jack yelled and pressed a few buttons to change the direction. The ship didn't yaw, but rather kept on shaking. Where was the woman? She didn't just vanished, did she?

Jack gritted his teeth. Alba'na would literally melt him. The _humbi **(****temperature) **_was nearly the triple fold of Ar'Kit. "Father would approve it." He said sarcastic and could imagine his father praising the condition on this planet. "Pff."

Accepting his irreversible fate, Jack focused on landing this wrecked ship. Then he would send the woman exploring the area to find materials to repair the ship. He would just leave her behind.

Jack smirked.

_'Enter atmosphere in 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 seconds'_

The landing was bumpy and Jack had a hard time handling the ship.

_'Soil contact in three seconds'_ He braced himself, he had too much speed, so it will be a rough landing. The ship rolled and after thirteen seconds it came to a halt. Jack breathed out slowly.

"Well, it's something I won't forget." He joked to himself, but the situation was to heavy, so he didn't laugh. "Gosh. This woman will suffer." He scratched the back of his head. "Further information." He commanded.

_'Alba'na. Controlled by Pitch.' _Jack rolled his eyes. At least it could have been a friendly planet. The computer showed a picture of the green planet. _'Home to low intelligent race of Gurbs. Humanoid, primitive technology and no spoken language recorded. Leader: Phil D. Jingu.'_

"Now that's fantastic!" Jack exclaimed fake happily.

_'Danger: Some plants and animals are poisonous.' _The computer showed various pictures of those, before the screen fuzzes and then went black.

Jack sat there for a few minutes, before he stood and went searching for the woman. She will figure something out. It's her fault anyway. He, of course, wouldn't set one foot out of there. He opened the door to his room.

"Better and better." He mumbled and leaned against the doorway, watching the tiny figure on his bed.

_'She's not worth it.'_ He thought and gripped his staff tight, readying himself to freeze her life.

But he stopped.

He had not expected her to escape the palace, nor to repair the control panel, nor the stunt with the black hole. But she saved his life. Of course he wouldn't say it out loud.

Could he trust her?

Normally the slaves would be all dead on the inside and out, but he actually found one with a little fire. It doesn't help, that he's sexually attracted to her, but he could ignore it. She was just a rare sight to see.

One day he will kill her so he didn't have to deal with her smirks, snarky attitude and disobedience.

She turned, so he could see her face. He eyed it intensely.

He won't kill her.

The thought bothered him.

* * *

**A/N:** _And another chapter. It's longer and I hope you liked it!  
_

_Stay tuned and leave me a review!_


	8. Dead Or Alive

**Point Of No Return**

**A/N: **_Long chapter! And don't be surprised.. I played too much Assassine's Creed and Prince of Persia.. Well, you'll see! Have fun!_

**Warning:** _Cussing_

* * *

Tooth grabbed her newfound weapon tightly. Her breathing came out raspy, owing to the fearling chasing her. Jack didn't tell her, that Pitch controlled this planet.

_'That little-' _Tooth stopped her thoughts, trying to think of nothing. Fearlings could read minds, which were overwhelmed by emotions. Jack definitely caused emotions to rise inside of her.

Hate, resentment, disgust, badgering, anger, acrimony.

Pitch modified the DNA of the fearlings, giving them unnatural strength, knowledge, and the ability to literally feel the emotions of people around them. Wrath, hate and bloodthirst stimulated their nerves intensively.

Especially fear.

_'And of course I'm in the middle of a purge' _Tooth closed her eyes, biting her lip. There were two kind of planets in the universe. Enslaved or Dead. Once a planet was exploited, it would get destroyed.

Pitch only wanted the raw materials, which he would use to reinforce his army.

Tooth pressed her back against the tree, trying to breathe as quietly as possible and hoping the fearling would not hear her heart pounding against her chest. This was her worst-case scenario.

She wanted to escape Jack, but know she was stuck on this doomed planet.

Another bad point was that fearlings could change their form of appearance, yet it was only limited. For example, they couldn't transform into a fly. Normally fearlings appeared in the state of a horse. Or a pony, Tooth would say. Her mentor on Earth told her everything he knew about the fearlings, wanting her to be able to defend herself.

They could only shape their appearance. A pony can be transformed into a tiger or a bear, since they all have a similar amount of mass. They couldn't reduce their mass into the figure of a fly.

Tooth was already standing behind a tree for at least half an hour, but she didn't dare to look. Maybe luck was on her side and the fearling had given up.

"ARGH!" Tooth shrieked and whirled around, backing away from the fearling, who had slashed the tree right above her head with his sword. Apparently the fearling transformed into a man.

_'And what a tall one'_ Her heart dropped in her boots._  
_

"I know that-" Tooth stopped and yelped, leaping out of the way, seconds before the sword had the chance to behead her. She scowled, but had barely time to dodge the blade that came slashing down at her again.

"You can't beat me." The fearling said in a deep voice.

"You can speak?!" Tooth's mentor on Earth didn't tell her about this.

"This planet will die, along with you." He said, taking another swing at her head.

However, this time, Tooth grabbed her own, rather small sword, deflecting his attack. She couldn't tell, if it was instinct or not, but the fearling kept lashing out and Tooth successfully thwarted each of his attempts.

Tooth narrowed her eyes in worry, realizing that staying defensive wouldn't do anything good. Everytime theirs blades clashed, her knees almost buckled on impact and she was having more and more trouble pushing him away.

Every blocked attack drained her of her energy and she knew that if she ever wanted to strike, she had to do it now.

With a loud cry, she lunged forward, aiming at his chest. Unfortunately, he countered and send her crashing into the next tree, which cracked at the impact.

Slowly Tooth got back on her feet, groaning. The fearling shot her a smug look and Tooth searched for a way to wipe it of.

Normally all creatures had a weak point. The fearling, however, neither lacked speed, strength or endurance. He was a dedicated and extremely skilled warrior.

He screeched and slashed at her with his sword. It was much more powerful and this time she couldn't fend him off.

Tooth gasped and grabbed the hilt of her sword, pushing back with all her might, but found herself rapidly loosing ground. She ignored the heat and sweat on her body, trying to think of a way out of this.

Firstly, he was a tall and skilled warrior. Even if she would win this struggle, he would catch her.

Running was no option. She had to defeat him.

"Give up!" The fearling growled and an evil idea popped up in Tooth's mind.

* * *

**Earlier**

"Stupid jerk!" Tooth stomped down a muddy path and looked back at the ship. "Go screw yourself, asshole!" She hoped he heard it. Who did he think he was, doing this to her?

"I hope the ship.. blows up! Bad karma, you know? Or something else. Something really, really nasty!" She couldn't hold it in and screamed out of rage. She felt much better afterwards and breathed steadily.

"Woke me up by freezing my toes. Shoving me out of the ship." She said as if it was a to-do list. Now she imitated Jack's voice. "Go out. Go hunting or go get killed, but bring back tools to repair the ship. Have fun." And her anger flared, again.

"Have fun? Have fun?! I'll give you fun, mister high and mighty!" She screamed back at the ship and stomped her feet. "No. No, I'll show him. I won't come back."

Tooth blinked. That could be her chance to escape! She just have to make sure this planet was sophisticated enough to have space ships. Or she could wait until Jack melted. It was pretty hot, you could think you stood in the Sahara in the middle of the day.

Then she grabbed a folded, little piece of paper out of her bra and opened it.

"Good, no damage." After she eyed it, she folded the blue print again and put it back in her bra. Bunny was able to retrieve it before her escape.

She looked at the jungle next to her.

"Let's go."

..

.

"Argh, shit!" Tooth yelled and smacked her arm. "Stupid mosquito!" She looked up, but saw nothing but green palms, trees and plants. This was perfect for her to train. In fact, Tooth didn't train since her crash landing. Not good.

"Here we go." With that she ran up a tree, grabbed hold of a branch and swung her a few times back and forth, before she let go of the branch and used the force to get further up.

Tooth was now five meters above the ground crouching down, looking up.

"Damn, that are some high trees, duh!" She poised along the branch and leaped to another tree. She used the short moment, where she didn't fall, and turned around. While doing so, Tooth bend her knees so her feet were pressed firmly against the tree right under her butt, before she leaped forward, using her feet to literally catapult her to the next tree.

She used that method a few times between two trees to get higher, until she saw a liana. She smirked.

With her last leap, Tooth grabbed the branch next to her, her feet dangling freely.

"Been a long time, doing this." She tightened her grip, swung herself up, so she was in a handstand. Tooth breathed out as she placed her feet on the branch, bending down and leaping forward to catch the liana.

All the time with a smile in her face. Now she was kinda happy about her clothes. They gave her mobility to do all the stunts.

Tooth caught the liana and climbed higher. Sweat formed on her forehead and neck, telling her she wasn't that fit anymore. "Nope, it's the heat." She reasoned and looked down. She was at least 80 meters above the ground.

She popped her head out of the leaf canopy.

"Amazing!" Her mouth hung open. She saw everything! A swarm of animals flew over her and she looked up, smiling. It was breathtaking and frightening at the same time being this high above the ground.

This was her element. Being up in the air, feeling free.

Tooth used her hand to shield her eyes from the two setting suns and observed the landscape.

There! Approximately 500 hundred meters south she saw smoke. "Maybe a town?" She could investigate it and form a plan to escape. "Best plan ever!" She patted herself on the shoulder, before she climbed down again.

"Whoow!" She exclaimed and whistled. Monkeys, parrots, lemurs. She could see various animals, watching her. The only difference compared to the animals on Earth: They were mutated.

Monkeys as huge as bears, parrots with four wings and lemurs with more eyes than any animal should have. Tooth wanted to take pictures, but sadly she had no camera with her. She snipped frustrated. "Damn."

Bad idea.

The colourful parrots flew away, the ants and other little animals hid in the cracks in the trees and an animal, no - a monster, sprang across the trees into her vision.

"Fuck."

The monster had a quite normal build for a man, but his skin was greenish, so he would blend in perfectly with the jungle. He also had horns, muscles _everywhere, _and a blood-smeared mouth. "Oh my god, it looks like a fucking Hypnos!" **_(Bad, bad enemy in Resident Evil) _**Tooth whispered anxiously.

The monster growled and leaped after her.

In the last moment, Tooth loosened her grip and fell a few meters down, successfully escaping her opponent. She looked to her right side, where the monster clawed a tree to hold him up, eyes on her.

Her escape would not be easy.

* * *

_'I won't get eaten. I won't get eaten.'_ Tooth thought rapidly and let herself drop down face first with her legs wrapped around the liana. The monster sprang every now and then past her, scaring the shit out of her.

_'You don't play with your food'_ She scolded and loosened her hold around the liana, reaching her hands out to grab an oncoming branch.

"Shit!" She shrieked as the branch broke.

Now, 20 meters above the ground, Tooth used the branch to ram it into the semi-rotten tree, failing. She looked down, seeing the huge leafs and braced herself.

Tooth _ompf'd_ at the impact, but tried to break her fall with the massive amount of leafs.

She landed on the ground on her back, squeezing her eyes shut at the pain, but she didn't screamed or breathed. The monster didn't get her so far, so if luck was on her side, it didn't see, where she landed.

After a minute she slowly opened one eye and observed her surroundings.

Nothing.

Good.

Tooth sat up, hissing at the sharp pain in her back. She did a 360°. Still no monster. She breathed out.

_'I have to get rid of these clothes. They'll only expose me plus I would totally score a nine out of ten on a slut-o-meter'_

Tooth bent down and put a handful of moist dirt in her hand. She eyed it, saw no critters and began to rub it on her skin.

In the end, Tooth's normally tan skin was darkly tinted and her clothes didn't illuminated that strong anymore.

* * *

Tooth popped her head from behind a tree to observe the wall. She reached her destination and she could smell the smoke from behind the wall. It was dark by now, so it would be easy for her to sneak in.

_'I feel kinda bad about spying around'_ She thought, but shook her head. _'No. You want to go home. Concentrate.'_

Tooth ran to the wall, seeing a few rocks crumble, but she used them nonetheless to shuffle over the ledge. She crouched down, successfully avoiding any looks. From up the wall she could see wooden huts and one huge fireplace.

In the end, the so called town was merely a little secluded village.

Tooth looked at the ground below and instantly felt the blood draining from her face. Humanoid silhouettes, at least fifteen, were lying on the grass, eyes closed. She wasn't sure if they were actually asleep or just taking a short break.

But they hadn't seen her and she very much liked to keep it that way.

* * *

Tooth moved on the wall and spotted a little pond._ 'Score!' _She saw clothes hanging on a horizontal liana. At least this planet was educated enough in the aspect of hygiene and the villagers were able to avail themselves of the nature.

Making sure, nobody watched, she jumped down and grabbed the clothes next to her. She held them up, eyeing a piece of fur.

She shrugged, got undressed and slipped into the new clothes. It was a one-shoulder dress, which was cut asymmetrical above her knees, giving her enough freedom to move around.

Now her dark skin and dark clothes wouldn't expose her right away.

After she jumped up the wall again, she made out three dark figures in the dark jungle. Tooth narrowed her eyes and nearly screamed in shock.

"Fearlings?!" She exclaimed loudly.

Bad idea.

Almost immediately, the silhouettes woke up from her scream and looked up at her with wide eyes.

_'Smooth'_ Tooth scolded herself.

She didn't even have time to react, because the silhouettes grabbed their knives and threw them, almost hitting her square between the eyes. Thanks to the dark, they missed her or she would've been dead thirty times by now.

Tooth managed to duck just in time to dodge the next wave of blades, but the wall gave her only little room to maneuver.

"_Bulka hun gub'ka!_" One of them hissed and Tooth didn't understand their brawny language.

Not able to think of a better plan, she jumped back and out of the way into the dark jungle. She could hear howls and shrieks behind the wall and smirked.

But the screams didn't die down and Tooth knitted her brows. She jumped up the wall and peeked over it. Her eyes grew large. Standing in the middle of the village, were the three fearlings.

Tooth gasped and fear crept up her spine. The fearlings ripped the villager's limps off and tossed them away, like it was nothing. Tooth, unable to look away, felt her throat close up and she made a hiccup-sound, trying to breathe again. _  
_

In this moment, one fearling turned his head to her and Tooth instantly let go of the wall, able to move again, and ran for dear life. But not before grabbing one of the swords, which landed in the jungle as the villagers tried to kill her.

Even in the distance, she could hear the screams.

* * *

**Present**

"I know this is kinda low.." Tooth mumbled, bringing her knee up to his family chocolates. The fearling broke their weapon struggle and stepped back. Not loosing time, Tooth raised her sword, aiming for his chest again.

"You don't know anything, do you?" The fearling chuckled and Tooth stopped in her tracks.

"What?"

With a howl the fearling rose up to his full height and Tooth tried to grab him. It was a move out of frustration, not knowing what do do otherwise. So she grabbed the first thing, she saw. His head.

Once the fearling stood and Tooth dangled in front of him, he tried to shake her off, but she latched expertly onto his back. She raised her weapon once again, but the fearling jerked and Tooth lost her balance, dropping her weapon in the process.

"Shit." Tooth quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to choke him, but nothing happened. The fearling spun arorund and struggled to get free.

"It's futile. I don't feel pain and you'll die either way." He said and Tooth rolled her eyes.

"At least you're hon-" Tooth shrieked as he shot his head back, nearly breaking her nose. She instinctively let go of his neck, but he grabbed her arms and flung her onto her back in front of him.

Tooth groaned. She tried to get up, but she was dizzy and disoriented. As she was about to loose her balance and fall, somebody caught her arm and steadied her.

She nearly fell over again, when she focused on the person. She stared at him.

"Jack?"

He didn't answer, but roughly pushed her behind him, glaring murderous at the fearling.

"I will not allow you to kill the woman." He warned.

Tooth's eyes widened. She looked up at Jack's angry face. Did he change? Was she a damsel in distress and Jack her saviour? Although he wanted her dead? Her heart fluttered at the though of him, being nice.

* * *

**Earlier**

**Jack**

"_Ofhna kimun no_?**(**_**Are you brain-fucking me?) **_What do you mean, '_we have no idea_' ?! My ship was obviously sabotaged and it was YOUR job to check it!" Jack yelled.

He currently sat, shirtless, in the cockpit, communicating with the hangar master from Ar'Kit. He had trained the last two hours, feeling the need to reduce his anger for the woman, but couldn't concentrate.

"I'm deeply sorry. The King himself said, if you don't come back in the next two weeks, you're disgraced. _Lumbu knus ka'hat_."

Jack's eyes widened.

"No way!"

"Yes. I'm sorry." The screen turned black, leaving a shocked Jack. Firstly, his wrecked ship was his father's fault or someone's his father has hired. Jokul wouldn't do the dirty work.

"_Ka'hat_." Jack whispered and his mind blankend. "_Ouhsna diplu."_**_(It can't be)_**

He sat there for at least five full minutes, staring at the jungle in front of him. He forgot about the woman. He forgot about his misery. He forgot everything.

"_Ka'hat_. My little sister." He said softly.

* * *

Jack hoisted his staff up, eyeing it.

"So my father thinks he can get rid of me that easily? He thinks, my story ends here?" He closed his eyes. No. "Link me with Jokul Frosti."

The computer beeped and a screen popped up, showing his father making out with a woman.

"I'm _sorry_ to interrupt your business, father." Jack said mockingly and nearly smirked as his father jumped and looked around fanatically, until his gaze was set on Jack.

"Where did you get this link?" He demanded and clawed the woman's thigh, earning him a whimper.

"You would be surprised, my _dear_ father." He shot him a lopsided grin.

"What do you want?!" Jokul's face turned scarlet. Jack inwardly smiled at his rage.

"I'm giving you a warning." Jack told him coldly. "Your time as a King ends, once I'm back."

Jokul laughed. "You're not even capable of navigating your ship to it's right destination. You're stupid."

"But not as stupid as you, thinking that you can get rid of me this easily. I thought you, the _great_ King, were more intelligent than this." Jack ran his finger along his staff, ignoring the murderous look of his father.

"Don't speak with me like that!" Jokul shouted.

"I'll speak with you as I please. You're not my King. You're my father. My father, who will die, once I'm back." Jack pointed his finger at him.

"You won't come back." Jokul narrowed his eyes. "Your ship is wrecked."

Jack smirked. "I will come back. As I said before. You're stupid. Even the female slave you wanted to screw was capable of escaping your palace."

"What?!" Jokul screamed again and Jack laughed, leaning forward.

"I will come back. You'll die."

Suddenly Jokul chuckled, which ended in a full blown laughter. Jack was confused, but he didn't show it, waiting for his father to explain himself.

"You have absolutely no idea, my boy. I won't see you ever again. I'm going to produce another heir to the throne. Apparently Alba'na is on the Black List by Pitch." Jokul said in a sing-sang voice and Jack narrowed his eyes.

"Don't threaten _ka'hat_ ever again."

Jack logged out and leaned back in his seat. If his father was right and this planet was on the Black List, he was screwed. He ordered his computer to open a window, which showed the names of the planets on the Black List.

The people on Ar'Kit knew how to hack in Pitch's computer database, without leaving traces, so it was no problem for Jack to do it, too.

Jack's eyes flew ruffled over the names and he slumped. There was the name he thought wouldn't stand there. Alba'na. This meant, that the planet was out of raw materials. Consequently he couldn't repair the ship.

Now he had to make another plan to escape, but he was on his own, which ment he was buggered.

"And again, I have to trust that woman." He moved his hands over his face, sighing deeply. He had to find her. It could be, that she was already dead, but he at least had to try. He wouldn't die without a fight, even when this woman would have to play a part in his fight.

* * *

**Present **

"She will die by my hand alone." Jack said darkly to the fearling and Tooth sweatdropped. So her theory of him being changed and all just burst into thousand shards.

The fearling made a rumbling sound and Tooth realized he was laughing. Before she or Jack could even blink, he shot out his hand and grabbed hold of Jack's feet, sending him falling down on his back.

"_Kulpka!_" Jack cursed, trying to get free.

Tooth didn't know what to do and looked around fanatically, searching for her sword. She saw it a few feet away and lunged forward. She turned around and saw Jack freezing the hand with his staff, but the fearling didn't even stir.

Without thinking Tooth leaped forward and cut of the hand and Jack kicked it away with his bare foot. He stood and shoved Tooth behind him, again.

"How did you find me-" Tooth was cut off.

"No time! Go back to the ship and try to get it going!" He yelled at her and pointed to the direction. "Just ran in this direction!" He shoved her again.

"But-"

"No! I'll handle this! GO!"

With that Tooth bolted through the tall grass and leaves, ignoring the surprised look of the fearling. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation.

She raced up a liana and leaped higher, not pausing for air, not looking back. Switching from a damsel in distress to a hero will be a decision she knew she was going to regret.

Tooth swung her way to the ship with the lianas. But something knocked her down. She landed on the ground and groaned in pain.

"Who-" She looked to the side, seeing the monster from earlier. "Oh, fuck, no. Look. I don't have time for this!" She screeched and stood to ran again, but the monster took a swing at her head, causing her to lose her balance and fell on her back.

She barely managed to raise her sword to block the claw. The knifes clashed and Tooth was trapped. She couldn't roll to the side from under him without lowering her defense.

And she wasn't strong enough to push him away either.

Tooth gasped as the monster growled and slowly applied more force, so his claw came dangerously closer to her throat. Tooth didn't know what to do, she was alone. So she used all of her last strength to push him away, but he wouldn't relent.

It was a only a matter of seconds now and Tooth closed her eyes, bracing herself for the deadly impact.

Death.

Tooth thoughts drifted to the villagers, who's lost their lifes without reason. She thought about home. Her friends and family.

Her father.

No, she couldn't die just like this. She couldn't let him down.

Tooth snapped her eyes open, feeling her emotions overwhelming her. She refused to die like this!

She screamed and pushed the monster off of her with her foot. Now she just struck the monster with her sword repeatedly and it didn't even put up much of a defense anymore.

Or she was too fast.

Tooth lost her ability to think, drunk with power, showing the monster who was the boss.

* * *

Jack wanted so badly to laugh at Tooth, since she was all muddy. He really wanted to, but he saw her loosing the battle and he dashed forward without thinking, rescuing her. Actually he didn't know why he found her this fast. He just trusted his gut feeling.

Now Jack stood face to face with the fearling. He knew he had to make this as short as possible, otherwise the heat would beat the fearling in getting a chance to kill him.

Waiting for him to make the first move, Jack grew impatiently. Finally he raised his staff, shooting ice at him and the fearling writhed on the impact.

Before Jack could blink, the fearling leaped forward and slashed his blade right over his stomach.

Jack stumbled back, stunned from surprise. He blocked out the pain, focusing on his opponent. He felt his hoodie getting moist of the blood, but Jack ignored it.

"I don't have time for this!"

Jack shot ice at him repeatedly, until the fearling was frozen against a tree, only his legs and head free.

"Jack Frost?"

Jack leaped forward, using the end of his staff to lift the fearling's chin. "What?"

Slowly the fearling laughed and threw his head back at the tree. "What would the famous _Jack Frost_ do on a planet like this?" He asked mockingly and Jack applied more pressure to the throat of his opponent, now blood flowing down to his chest.

Jack stayed silent.

"Pitch is going to like this." The fearling laughed again and before Jack could respond, he let out a victorious roar and disappeared in a cloud of black sand. Although Jack wasn't complaining, he couldn't shake the feeling off, that something bad will happen. Sooner or later.

But now he had to get back, fast, before the heat would literally melt him.

* * *

Tooth stood breathlessly over the fallen monster. She tried to focus again, to get rid of the murderous emotions.

"I have to go back. Pull yourself together!" She mumbled incoherent and ran as fast as she could. She didn't think about the fact she killed this monster. She killed. Something snapped in her and a tear rolled down her cheek.

First that whole enslavement on Ar'Kit, then Jack, now Pitch destroying this planet with fearlings, who tore humanoid villagers apart.

"No, you can cry, when you're safe!" Tooth saw the ship, but the tears didn't stop.

Tooth almost instantly turned all scientific.

"We have a slightly damaged engine, but it would do one more time. We have damaged thrusters." Tooth rambled as she lay beneath the ship's belly, eyeing the cables. She grabbed her chin, thinking.

"So we have to-" Tooth's eyes widened and she jumped. "Jack!" She exclaimed.

* * *

Jack ran through the jungle and sighed in relief at the sight of the ship. His vision slowly blurred and the bleeding didn't stop. He clutched his stomach.

He saw the woman in front of the ship, extending the thrusters by herself. "What the hell are you doing?" He asked. "We don't have time!"

"Yes, we have!" She screamed back and pointed a finger at him. "Look, mister, we have to get out of here!" She nodded her head in a special direction and Jack turned his head.

"Oh." Fire could be seen and screams could be heard. Jack was trained to block it out, so he didn't notice it earlier. And the wound slowly nibbled at his conscious.

"Yes. So I know you can control the wind, being a supercool hero, bla-" She waved her hand before continuing. "We need the wind to defy the planet's gravity. I found an actuator in the machinery, so I am able to transform the wind energy into actuator forces."

Jack blocked her out, due to her switching into scientific-mode and his more intensified dizziness. Apparently it was too dark for her to see his injury and he wouldn't whimper like a banshee about it either.

"So I just have to make a storm and we're out of here?"

"Yes."

Without any other wors, Jack went inside of the ship and Tooth followed closely behind, closing the door. They went straight for the cockpit, sitting down and pressing a few buttons to start the ship.

"Now." Tooth announced.

Jack stood, ignoring the nausea and jumped up to opened a hatch. He moved his staff, so it was vertical in front of him. Jack closed his eyes and used the last of his energy to control the wind outside.

* * *

Tooth nearly cried in pure joy as the actuator transformed the energy. The computer showed her a window with a bar. Once it reached 100 percent, she could use the energy and boost the thrusters.

"That's it, Jack!" She yelled above the strong cold wind inside the cockpit. Her hair flew in every direction, but she focused on the bar.

_'Energy full' _The computer announced and Tooth pushed a button.

"We did it!" Tooth exclaimed and turned around just in time to see Jack fell unconscious to the ground, after he closed the hatch.

"Jack?"

Tooth sat up, stumbling over to his form. "Jack!" She kneeled down and shook him, but he didn't stir. Panic settled in.

_'Breaking atmosphere in 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Next achievable destination: Durza. Approach in two hours'_

Tooth didn't pay any attention to the computer as she eyed Jack up and down. It was dark, because they had to reduce the energy consumption. She felt something moist on his stomach and drew her hand back.

"Blood." She whispered and fell back on her butt.

* * *

**A/N: **_Gosh, I rewrote this like fifteen times and I'm not that happy with the outcome.. But I wanted to give you this chapter, so I hope you liked it! Thanks for reviewing, favouring and following this story!  
_

_You all brightened up my day, since it was a shitty one for me! __Anyway, I apologize for any grammatical errors, etc!_

_Stay tuned and leave a review for me, if you want!_


	9. Closeness

**Point Of No Return**

**A/N:** _I changed some chapters due to the grammar, sense and spelling mistakes._

_**Warning:** Cussing, dark themes and mildly bonding time.. If you know what I mean ;D _

* * *

_Jack looked at the ground, ready to let go of the hatch after he closed it. He dipped his head a little, feeling dizzy. The ground beneath him looked like it was shifting and he only noticed he was moving somewhere as he lay on the ground and a searing pain shot through his abdomen. _

_"Jack.." Was the last thing he heard, before complete darkness embraced him._

* * *

Tooth swallowed as she tried to kneel down on her trembling knees next to his body again. She shakily lifted up his hoodie a little to see his injury as meticulous as she could, but she couldn't stop the foreboding feeling that boiled in the pit of her stomach.

There was so much blood and Tooth closed her eyes, ignoring the metallic scent. "You can't- ju- you- don't die. You can't." She whispered and pulled his hoodie down again.

She opened her eyes and looked at the unconscious boy. Maybe it was for the best. She could navigate the ship to Earth and Jack - her mentally tormentor - would die. It will be like all this never happened and Tooth could live her life perfectly in peace at home.

Suddenly her throat was very dry and she couldn't breathe normally. She swallowed hard and her heart skipped a beat.

"I'm a monster."

As shaken as she was with the whole enslavement and now with Jack bleeding to death like this, she couldn't let him die. Otherwise she wasn't her normal self and she wouldn't let the previous events change her into an emotionless robot.

Tooth moved her hands to his armpits, pulling him to the next bathroom. She didn't mind the throb from her own wounds that came in response to the weight of him. In fact, the pain only proved she was still a feeling being.

"You won't die. Not before I kicked your ass for all you've done." She gritted her teeth as a dull ache stroke her heart. Her mind spiralled in a vortex of emotions, but she couldn't let them out.

Not now.

She gasped as she successfully lifted his body into the bathroom and next to the tube, while she pressed a button to light up the room more than just the dim light by the ship.

Tooth looked down at Jack and felt another ache stroke her heart at the sight of him. He was, if it was possible, paler than usual, his hoodie was blood-smeared and his hair clung to his forehead.

She rushed forward and placed the back of her hand on his, with cold sweat soaked forehead, hissing at the unnormal heat. Bringing two fingers to his neck, she focused on his heartbeat.

"There's gotta be a first aid kit somewhere around here." She looked around fanatically. There was only a tube, a toilette and a sink with one cupboard above it. So much for saying Jack's race was more intelligent than hers. She rushed over and slammed it open, reaching for anything she could use.

Slamming the cupboard shut she looked into the mirror and nearly laughed at her appearance. Mud and leafs covered her whole body and her dirty face was tear-stained. She couldn't tend Jack with her hands being all muddy and bloody.

Without another glance at the mirror she washed her hands and arms as clean as she could, before picking up the things for Jack.

Leaning him down, Tooth ripped his blood soaked hoodie, so she could inspect his wound. Dried blood covered his lower abdomen and panic stabbed Tooth more painfully than she ever thought possible. His chest was still moving, but for how long?

She jerked the damp hoodie away and looked at his chest. His perfectly toned and pale body with muscles, which wou-

_'NO! Focus!'_ Tooth scolded herself and shook her head, feeling ashamed. Realizing he had no other injuries, she took a white towel and reached over Jack to the tube, dampening it with icy water. She thought, since he was always cold - literally - and Ar'Kit was too, icy water would be better than hot water.

Once she rinsed his wound she eyed it. It was a long cut, but not as severe as she thought. It was deep and no doubt, he would have to wait for this to heal. Long. But nothing permanent would get hold of him.

She ignored her aching body, her wounds all over it and her ever present tiredness, grabbing a needle and a thread. If she want to stop the bleeding, she would have to do this. She never stitched someone on her own, but saw a doctor do it on herself as she was a little adventurous kid in the garden, where she got a gash on her temple as she tripped over a branch.

Tooth didn't know if Jack got a healthy dose of inoculations, but if not-

_'No, he won't get an infection. That would be too easy.' _

She sighed as she pulled the thread through the hole in the needle, making a knot at the end. She looked up at his face. "Good thing you're out cold, huh? Otherwise this would hurt. A lot."

No answer.

Tooth tilted her head a little before pulling the needle through his skin. A few centimeters higher and she could pierce his heart. But this thought didn't manifest in her mind, which was occupied enough by knowing how hard it is, knowing _who_ she was stitching, knowing it was _his_ blood on her fingers, but she did her best without daring to look up at his face.

She even did her best to keep from sobbing, although it was difficult, knowing how much pain she could cause Jack, if he was conscious. How much pain the villagers were in back on the planet. How much pain the monster was in.

She killed, although he was only a product of evolution. And the fearlings killed for Pitch. Pitch did this for fun, to rule the universe.

Disgusting.

After biting through the thread she lifted a gauze pad and covered as much of the stitches as she could with it before she wound a bandage around his lower abdomen. The cool thing was, that she didn't have to pin the bandage, since it froze over at the end. Leaning back she eyed her patient.

There were so much more scars over his body and she traced one in particular along his left shoulder over to the middle of his chest. Jack looked pale and washed out, but otherwise not dead. He would make it and Tooth sighed, slumping next to the Duke.

* * *

Jack felt oddly good, rather cozy and refreshed. Abstracted he stretched his sore limbs, hissing at the pain in his abdomen. Instinctively he moved a hand to where his wound would be, but felt something else. A cloth?

He opened his eyes and sat as fast as he could, ignoring the pain and taking in his surroundings. He was in his room, but how did he get here? He narrowed his eyes, remembering what happened.

That woman saw him unconscious. Vulnerable.

He did not like it and he angrily clutched the bandage around his abdomen.

Jack looked down.

_'Did she?' _

He nearly laughed. Why would she, a slave, rather save him than trying to escape her fate? Not that Jack needed to be saved. His body healed fast and the cut wasn't that deep, so maybe five or six hours and he would be fine.

He tore the bandage off and saw stitches over his cut. He eyed them and didn't quite grasped the fact she did this. Of course, it would increase the healing pace, but it wasn't necessary. Why wo-

_"I wanna go home.."_ Jack's thoughts stopped as he heard someone and looked up to a chair, which was arranged so someone could look out of the window into the depths of the space.

He stared at her, watching as she gingerly adjusted herself until she was curled up against one armrest, hugging her knees to her chest. Then she released a deep sigh and Jack knew she was asleep.

Jack caught the hurt and longing in her voice, but didn't dare to let those emotions get the better of him. He caged his own emotions behind a thick wall with a stony expression on his face.

* * *

Tooth woke up to the sound of someone coughing and she rubbed her eyes.

"_Siha_. _**(Slave)** _Fancy tellin' me what _you're _doing in _my _room?"

Tooth rolled her eyes annoyed. "Really? I saved your life, _again, _and this is all you have to say?" She knew she would get yelled at rather than be thanked for what she did, but she didn't mind. Tooth expected nothing else.

"I'm not going to die from a little scratch."

She looked at him, turning in her seat. "Jack! Lay down! Your wound!" His glare bore into her, but she didn't back down. "You were unconscious. You were bleeding heavily. I fixed you up." She explained, letting out the part, where she washed his upper body and hair to get rid off his sweat and anything that would hinder him to properly heal.

Jack's brow rose. "I'm not a weak creature like you. I'll be perfectly fine in no time."

Tooth stood. "Get some more sleep. We will land in one hour and fifteen minutes on planet Durza." She pointed at his stomach. "Don't overdo it." She knew she can't keep Jack from doing what he want, but she would have the satisfaction she'd warned him when he did something reckless.

* * *

"Do you know who sabotaged this ship?" Tooth asked as she sat cross-legged in front of his bed in the chair again, after she had a long shower. She broke down in there, feeling her emotions overwhelming her, feeling something dark rise in her. After she tended to her own wounds and washed her dress as best as she could, she was like a shell, punching the mirror in the bathroom, not able to look at a murderer.

Yes, she was a murderer and she was on the brink of letting Jack die, too.

After that she wandered around the ship, eating something that looked like a pomegranate in blue. That's when something sparked in her. She had a plan. And she hoped she would be able to go through with it.

She would twist Jack's game.

Meanwhile Jack only raised his brow and crossed his arms behind his head, eyeing the ceiling.

"Ok, then tell me about your planet." She offered and tilted her head, but Jack closed his eyes, ignoring her.

"It's either your planet or mine." She threatened and Jack groaned. Tooth nearly laughed at his uncomfortableness, but continued to stare at him laying on top of the sheet without any apparent emotion.

"It's.. white?"

"And?"

"Icy."

Now Tooth groaned and Jack smirked. "What about hobbies?"

He grinned. "Seducing women."

"Whatever." Tooth snapped and swiveled in her chair, not flinching at her words. She knew Jack was some kind of time bomb, threatening to explode any minute and his wrath would hit her face first, but she would be prepared.

"You can't deny that you're attracted to me."

"I am NOT attracted." Tooth spat and laughed humorless.

"Don't lie to me." Jack said serious.

"How could I be attracted to someone like you?" She added and waved her hand to dismiss it like it was ridiculous to even think about it.

"Like me?" Jack asked and popped up on his elbows.

Tooth couldn't help but blush under his watchful gaze and hung her head, trying to hide behind her hair. "You're cocky, despicable, aggressive, impersonal, somber, cynical, hormone-driven-"

"Don't forget argumentative." Jack said darkly and Tooth swallowed. How many times could she insult him, until he would kill her? His face grew serious. "Bonding-time's over."

"Jack, no, your wound-" Tooth, frozen in place, shuddered as he rushed forward, grabbed her hands and pulled her on the bed, pinning her down and straddling her.

"My wound is fine. Why do you even care?" Tooth struggled, but he was far more stronger than she. Deciding she won't answer that question, she looked away.

She didn't care for him. He was her personal devil raised from hell to torture her with his little mind games. The worst was: she couldn't escape him. Even as she actually had the chance to run away back on Alba'na, she couldn't. She ran straight into another threat. Being with him was like walking on thin ice, you never know when it will break, leaving you slowly suffocating on your dirty little thoughts about him. Oh, how she was attracted to him..

Jack growled. "Fun's all well and good, but you're a slave. You will do as I say."

Tooth laughed. "I won't clean your clothes, I won't cook you dinner and I hell won't spread my legs for you."

"Just now I only said that you should not lie, wasn't it?"

Tooth's eyes widened. He was right. "It is beneath my dignity to lie."

"And again you lie." He traced his finger over her wrist. "I know you're lying. The blush on your cheeks, your hiding behind your hair, your racing heartbeat."

Tooth glared at him. "Let me go."

"You're a _princess_-" He said it like it was an invective. "Raised with standards and morals. You're different from what we Ar'Kitianer are. We're warriors and we kill, even for fun in tournaments. It's how we survive and how we stand up to the universe and it'll be the only way to defeat Pitch."

"And then? You'll just continue to purge planets and kill off other races, just because they might be more intelligent than you? Or maybe you'll just make all females your personal slaves?" Tooth asked sarcastic and Jack snorted.

"No. I'll be King one day and making pacts or plans for economical structures or the like isn't my thing. I won't tell you, but the last part sounds good to me." He winked, but turned serious again as he saw her open her mouth again. "But back to the main topic. You're trying to deny that you're attracted to me." He rattled on.

"Let. Me. Go."

"But here you are, a mere slave, and you can't stop thinking about it." He smirked and looked at her furious face. "About me."

"Done?" She closed her eyes, fearing they might tell him that he indeed was right with everything.

He brushed his fingers over her wrist again. "Your pulse quickens. Am I right? Or am I too close? Or both?" He deliberated.

"It's cruel to play with a slave or a death row inmate."

"The universe is a cruel place." Jack simply stated and leant his body down against hers. She felt warmth shoot all over her body at his weight on her and she tried to resist the impulse to wrap her arms around his neck, in order to pull him closer.

"You should listen to me. Cruel or not, you can't escape it, even if you run to the very end of the universe. You can't escape either cruelty or your attractions." He whispered and Tooth narrowed her eyes at him. "And you can't escape me."

Jack dipped his head and traced the tip of his nose along her neck with his lips close to her skin. He could smell her natural scent, thankful for his travels through space, otherwise he wouldn't know how to name it. It was something in between flowers, freshly cut grass and cinnamon. It was a weird combination, but it suited her.

Tooth's swallowed again and felt ashamed, while she arched her back and tried to resist the urge to moan. She concentrated on the fact he enslaved and tormented her, trying to break through his spell.

"You're a smart girl. You escaped the palace on Ar'Kit and pulled a few noticeable stunts." He whispered on her neck. "Are you smart enough to admit that fear isn't the only thing you feel right now?" He pulled back and looked over her, grinning like a four year old child with how much he unsettled her.

Tooth looked up at him. "Now let go of me." He would probably be back to being all _I'm-going-to-kill-you-since-I'm-the-Duke_ once he let her go, so there was no need to feel intrigued by his words.

Now was a good time to start her own little game.

"Or kill me."

Now Jack was alarmed and stopped his grinning.

"I'm a slave. Or a _pet,_ like you said back on Ar'Kit. A pet to keep you entertained with a few feats. Well, I have news for you: I am no toy, nor a pet _mister_. I would rather choose to die. Right now."

Using the element of surprise she freed one of her hands out of his hold and reached behind her back, pulling out a sharp splinter from the mirror she'd shattered. Before Jack could register her intention, she held it against her throat.

Jack caught the look in her face and his body tingled in a way, which felt _not_ good. "Wha-"

"Tell me, how does it feel to not being the one in charge? " She spat and Jack moved his hand to yank the splinter out of her hand, but she pressed it with more force against her throat and Jack stopped. "Don't move."

Jack looked furiously at her. "Give me that fucking splinter!"

"So we can go back to being master and pet? So you can humiliate me, because you want something to play with?"

Jack merely narrowed her eyes.

"Alive I'm just a burden to you. You have to ration the food, the water.. Even you have to see that there's no escape. You'll have to kill me and if you don't..." Tooth didn't end her threat for dramatic impact, but Jack didn't answer, only focusing on the splinter against her delicate skin. "Or maybe you'll force me to sleep with you? Taking my own free will away? You obviously just want to screw with me."

"I would never be with a woman, who doesn't want to. Where is the fun in that? It's disgusting and I won't tolerate such behaviour from any man."

"You're the epitome of an innocent angel." Tooth said mocking.

Jack rolled his eyes at her. "I wouldn't force you into something like that. It has to be your choice, too."

Tooth eyed him and after a few seconds she closed her eyes. "I won't change my mind." And before Jack could retort anything she placed the splinter against his throat, catching him off guard.

"And don't play the nice guy act. It didn't worked back in the palace and now it won't get you anywhere, too."

Jack battled with himself, loosing his hold around her other hand. She reacted quickly and rolled them over, so now she straddled his waist and kept the splinter at his throat.

Jack just looked at her form hovering above him. He knew he could roll over again, but something told him that it wouldn't be the right thing to do. "You don't have the guts to kill."

Tooth leaned forward and her hair created some kind of curtain between them and the room. "And you think you know who I am? Why I wouldn't hesitate to kill? Why I wouldn't hesitate to kill _me_? I killed back on Alba'na and I didn't stop, although he was already dead. Back on Earth I'll most likely either be banished or locked into a room without a chance to escape for what I did. Don't presume I don't have the guts!"

"And just because you killed once, you think you know how it is? To kill?" Jack narrowed his eyes. "To see the light vanish from your opponent's eyes? To hear them scream, while they bleed to death? And here you are bubbling over with self-pity. Now _I_ have news for you: It's either them or you. And what is done cannot be undone."

Tooth felt her eyes water and she grabbed the splinter too tight, so it cut through her skin. "I- I didn't- I don't pity myself. You killed-"

"So did you." Jack retorted and Tooth shook her head.

"I did it to save me-" She stopped. Jack was right and she looked down at him. "Why didn't you let the fearling kill me, if I'm such a nuisance?"

"I needed to get off the planet and I needed you to repair the ship, right?" He simply twisted her question in order to avoid it.

"You only need me to entertain you before you'll kill me." As to confirm him, she increased the force of the splinter against his throat, but not enough to draw blood and Jack kept a straight face, showing no pain.

Tooth leaned further down until her lips hovered above his."The result is always the same. You're born to die. Death is nothing we could simply fuck over, Jack. Even you can't do that."

"I am not going to kill you." He didn't think before he said those words, but he was honest. He felt the splinter loosing some of his force and as Tooth leaned away he sat up fast, grabbing hold of her hand which hold the splinter.

"You're lying." She stumbled over her words and tried to bring the splinter back to his throat, but his hold was too strong. "I'm a burden and have to die. Whether it's now or in fity years, it's absolute."

"Look at me." He said and Tooth stopped to look at the splinter and her struggles died down. Slowly and fearful she let her eyes wander up to his crystal blue ones. "I am not going to kill you. Not now and not in fifty years."

"How could you say that?" She whispered and Jack interrupted her.

"I won't kill you _Toothiana_. You just have to _believe_ me, _Lu'ha_." _**(Li****ttle One)**_

This was it. She trembled and opened her hands, sending the splinter falling in between them and Jack threw it across the room, shattering it into million pieces.

Tooth believed him and she hated herself for it. She could literally see her father in front of her chanting over and over again _'You disgraced us'._

"If it's inevitable, don't make me wait for death." She sobbed and Jack looked at her shaking figure. There was something within her, a fire in her eyes that drew him to her. He couldn't let her die to see that light vanish from this universe.

"_Lu'ha, _I'm not going to kill you. Never." Jack traced his hand through her long damp hair to the back of her neck.

Tooth watched him coming closer and her breath hitched. She wanted to run away, but she felt like she was thrown into icy cold water, unable to move. How ironic. If her father and everybody on Earth would already disgrace her for running away with important plans, she could add an affair with a Duke from a foreign planet for good measure.

She would go down as a mere nobody. No pride, no dignity, no honor. To put the cherry on top her own father will behead her in front of the cheering crowd.

What a change in priorities, being this reckless with Jack without fearing for what it might get her into on Earth.

He gently tugged on her neck, bringing her face to his. He tilted his head slightly, bumping his nose against hers and he waited. But she did something that surprised him. She clawed at his shoulder, bringing him closer. Jack, a man who wouldn't say no to a woman's touch, closed the gap between them, softly bringing his lips to hers.

Tooth felt electricity shot through her body at the soft touch and every thought of being on a cliff, ready to jump and pull him with her, melt away. Jack's gentle hold tighten after she pressed her lips more firmly against his. She felt his longing for more and it scared her, but as he pulled her flush against his bare chest she couldn't help but to finally let out a soft moan. His hands moved down her back and he saw her moan as an invitation to kiss her more fierce.

What started slow and gently soon turned into something more urgent and passionate. As she felt his tongue trace along her lip, she broke out of her trance and pulled back in shock.

"I- Uh-" She stumbled over her own words and tried to look anywhere but at Jack, who frowned. Tooth couldn't handle anymore and bolted out of the room, leaving a startled Jack behind.

His arms still in position to hug her slender body he slumped on his back and tilted his head to the door and knitted his brows.

Finally he got to actually touch and taste her, but she stopped, although he even ignored the pain in his abdomen when he pulled her closer. He wouldn't force her, he respected the opposite gender that much, but he was a little disappointed that she pushed him away this fast.

He also felt that something was off with her.

Infact, he didn't know why he opened up this much to her. Normally he would just screw with woman and kick them out after, but this time he was much more gentle and much more patient. And he even said he wouldn't kill her.

All this scared the shit out of him.

Luckily they will land on planet Durza, which would keep him occupied. He will get a chance to take out his frustrations and settle a plan to overthrow his father. Luckily Durza was one of the many planets Ar'Kit is befriended with.

He didn't know how much trouble he will run across there..

* * *

Tooth sat curled up against the cold metal of the machine room, sobbing. The way Jack had kissed her was too intense. Too dangerous to be real and she couldn't allow him to have that kind of power over her.

He even said her name for the first time they'd met. Her plan failed.

She couldn't stay with Jack.

* * *

**A/N:** _Cause you're hot then you're cold, you're yes then you're n- *cough* Sorry, couldn't hold this back XD __Gosh this was hard to write.. I'm sorry for any grammar, sense and spelling mistakes! Hope you like it, since it got all heated up ;) _

_Now I'm really tired.. I'll answer your PM's tomorrow. Promise!_

_ Stay tuned (next time we'll see Bunny again) and leave little old me a review!_


	10. I Can't Stand Losing Her

**Point Of No Return**

**Warning: **_Cursing and blood!_

* * *

_Beep _

_'Identification'_

"Duke Jack Frost. Ar'Kit."

_Beep beeeep _

_'Failure: Not registered. Indicate arrival.'_

Jack groaned. He hated all this formalities. It's always the same.

"Ship is wrecked. I need to land and appraise the damage. Possibly even fix it." He saw no reason to tell those creepy creatures that he would kill his father and take over the throne, yet.

_'Information proceed.' _

Jack waited as the computer proceed in his tracks and he leaned back. He watched the mud-ball for a planet, narrowing his eyes. Durza is a planet, where constant thunderstorms took place. The planet never saw light in any other form than lightning.

_'Approved. Approach in five minutes over district 9. Any company?' _

Jack thought about it a little while. If he said yes, there was a good chance for her to escape him. Especially when she revealed her title as a princess, which she would definitely do. But if he said no, she would be killed as if she was a hostile spy. Probably they would even torture her to get information before killing her.

But he promised he wouldn't kill her.

That was the cue. HE wouldn't. This didn't mean others could not.

He groaned in frustration.

"Yes. Female slave."

He added the last part just for good measure, so no one can twist his words later, when she decided to reveal her status. There wasn't any change he would let her go this early. And with saying that, he claimed her as his very own slave.

_Beep_

_'Two guards will collect you. Be prepared.' _

_Chi-beep_

The window closed and Jack waited for the inevitable. He stood up, ignored the pain in his abdomen and searched for the woman. Their.. heated conversation took place only an hour ago, so she will most likely be normal again. Hopefully. He won't be able to handle the landing AND her mood.

Women..

Jack walked through the ship, shutting everything unneccessary down, so the ship won't crush once they approached the atmosphere because of the lack of energy. It will be hard enough.

He walked into his room, pressing a hidden button under his bed. He heard the sound of the wall cracking beside him and he smirked. He walked to it and took out his proper Duke attire.

"Woman?!" He yelled after he changed into the new clothes and grabbed the railing to shout down to the machine room. She must be there, since she wasn't in the other rooms.

No answer.

Jack shrugged and leant back before jumping over the railing like a boss and down the ladder. He bent his knees a little to break his fall, but otherwise he bit the inside of his cheek due to the pain.

_'Okay, no harsh movement for the next five hours' _He scowled and looked up at her shaking figure. It was too dark to actually see her, but she sat there with knees up her chest.

"Come on, we're landing in a few." He said and she looked like he somehow transformed into a tree. He rolled his eyes, but turned around and jumped back up, using some of his powers to control the wind.

_'I have to train it more to completely control the wind in the direct environmental.'_ One of his gifts.. But he wouldn't tell anyone. It's a gift, which was passed through the bloodline of the Kings on Ar'Kit.

Jack looked back, seeing her slowly crawling up the ladder and he crouched up his nose. She looked like some vulnerable child.

And he did not like it.

_'Entering atmosphere in one minute'_

* * *

Before Jack interrupted her, she sat emotionless in the machine room, letting the loud devices do their work and sending them through the dark space decorated with diamond star. She absently itched at the mosquito bite, feeling the relieving numbing sting after itching it for a long time.

Travelling through space for the first time was absolutely enthralling and she wanted to do it more often, but her crash landing did broke her reverie.

Jack entered her reverie and changed it into a nightmare.

He might have not talked with her a lot, but the constant weight of his crystal blue orbs following her every movement intimidated her. But he told her he wouldn't kill her.

"Papa.." She mumbled, feeling homesick. Tooth wanted nothing more than her father to hold her. There was no way she would wander around the ship when the only other person on the ship was literally a cold blooded killer. He said it himself.

"Do you know how it is to kill?" She copied his deep voice and hissed.

Of course she chose the room deep down in the ship to outrun him for the time being. She might trust him so far that he wouldn't kill her, but she didn't trust herself around him.

Her body told her the complete opposite of her heart. Jack as a mere man should be locked away. To be with him could be described with one word.

Naughty.

She knew it was wrong to think that way, but she preferred the bad-boy type, since they did understand life apart from expensive society events. That's why she spent so much time with the soldiers on Earth. They fight for what they thought was important and knew how to have fun beside it.

Her thoughts drifted to Jack and what he might do right now. Surely he wouldn't think about his life like she did now.

The kiss..

Just because he kissed her doesn't mean he equated .. lust with love. She doubted he knew what love was. He said it himself that he really did not know the meaning behind it.

Just because his heart beat, didn't mean he actually had a heart.

And with that she meant a heart, which was able to love.

Yet, it was only prove that he was a living being, whose life she was willingly to destroy, but she concluded she would have done it for the greater good.

No..

Tooth knew she wouldn't have killed him. Even if he actually didn't success in changing her mind she would have searched for another way to avoid killing him.

"Haha, you're stupid." She chuckled humorless and and sighed. Her vision clouded and her whole body felt numb. "I think I'm going to be ill." She placed the back of her hand against her forehead, feeling the heat. "Yes." She sighed again and let her head lull back against the cold metal.

It was hard to concentrate and she didn't even tried to move. Not even the tiredness would knock her out due to her overactive brain.

Tooth had to think about a plan, but couldn't.

"I have to-" She suddenly coughed and felt something thick in the back of her throat and she doubled over and coughed into her hand to get rid of it. Once she did, she felt her hand covered into something wet and she shakily lifted her hand into her sight.

"B- Blood?" She stuttered and eyed the red substance. Where the hell did that came from? Maybe the monster back on Alba'na did land a hit on her? No, she made sure there was no injury on her body as she showered an hour ago.

Deciding that she had other worries she wiped the blood on her dress and laid back. "I have to lure Jack into safety, so he thinks that I won't turn my back on him. I will use my brain. Maybe the planet was advanced enough to have a proper lab, so I will be able to show off a little. That's when I'll strike."

Tooth smacked her lips, feeling thirsty.

That's when she heard her name being called and the loud _thoud _of Jack jumping down to the machine room. She looked at his figure, seeing a white chest plate with an anchor - like symbol on it over a blue shirt, which clung to his slender body. Behind him a long blue cape covered with patterns followed his every movement and his white pants were just long enough to show his bare foot.

He looked like a freaking God and her mouth hung open. And his smirk..

"Come on, we're landing in a few."

Tooth rolled her eyes, but followed him, ignoring the oncoming nausea.

* * *

_'Entering atmosphere in one minute'_

Tooth whipped her head to the computer voice and quickly rushed forward to the chair next to Jack and pressed a few buttons to make sure, the landing would go smooth, but it was a rough one and Tooth had to grab the holder above her chair in order to not fall against the front window.

_Geez_, she would make sure that the next ship have advanced hydraulics.

The ship jerked forward for a last time and Jack had to caught her around the waist, so she wouldn't fall flush against the window.

He looked down at her.

_'She's kind of hot.' _And with that he didn't mean her physical built, but her body temperature. He may be cold all the time, but he could tell from his touch that her temperature was higher than from the last time he touched her.

He grabbed her arm and jerked her around so she had to look at him. "Now listen. You have to act as a proper slave. Do you understand that, Toothiana?" He asked stern and Tooth swallowed.

He said her name, again. Last time it was to make her believe she wouldn't get killed. So this has to be important.

She nodded. "Okay."

Jack's eyes widened for a short time. Wow, that was easy. He was prepared for her outburst, but she didn't even TRIED to talk back to him. But Jack shrugged it off, feeling like she somehow learned, who had the upper hand on this journey.

He released her and walked to the door, with Tooth right behind him. Once the ship stopped to move, Jack pressed a button to open the ship and Tooth instantly cringed at the sound of thunder.

"Come." Jack said and Tooth walked out of the ship down the ramp to the muddy path coated with a thin layer of water by the rain. With every step they took, the water beneath their feet would leave a short-lived proof that they had been there a moment ago.

Tooth's clothes and hair instantly soaked, but she welcomed the cold feeling, which chilled her temperature a little. She looked up at Jack, eyeing him from behind. Water dripped off his messy, windswept hair down into the puddle and Tooth couldn't help the thought off the water drip down his bare bac—

_'Oh, fucking stop it. Gosh, something's definitely wrong with me...'_

Jack stopped and Tooth tilted her head to look at what was in front of him.

What were they?

Due to the armor they were guards, but they looked..

Dead.

Ashy skin, which was nearly see-through. She shook her head. Certainly the weather caused this. Jack did tell her, that this planet was all about thunderstorms.

She trailed behind Jack, who talked in a different language with those guards.

"_Kalaku a?" _One said and she saw Jack eyeing her for a moment.

_"Inoa." _Jack said and Tooth tilted her head, showing her curiosity.

_"Wa no." _The other guard said and they took off. Jack swiftly used his head to tell her to follow him and she obeyed, walking behind him and taking in her surroundings with big eyes.

The planet really didn't had any plants. It was like it was just a huge planet out of mud with nothing but buildings out of grey metal. Everywhere she looked she saw those buildings, one higher than the other.

Then she saw the inhabitants. They were humanoid, but one thing frightened her to no end.

They can fucking took off their limbs without screaming in pain or drawing blood. Like they were creatures out of grey smoke. It was a little girl, tying her hand with a rope and tossing it up onto one of the balconies. Her hand grabbed the railing and she climbed up.

What the hell?!

She quickened her pace to walk besides Jack, who looked at her. She pointed to the girl and Jack tilted his head to the direction before shaking his head to her.

She understood him. He will tell her later.

..

.

Jack glanced neither left or right, but Tooth was certain that he was fully aware of all that happenings around him.

_"Kilop' ka un."_ One guard said and Jack nodded.

Tooth grunted. She didn't like it, when she didn't understand what others say. Jack seemed to notice her misery and smirked her way, while Tooth crossed her arms in front of her.

A loud rumbling thunder rolled over them and Tooth shrieked. Oh, how she hated thunder. Without thinking she reached up and looped her hand around his upper arm, clinging onto him.

Jack looked down at her touch and saw her frightened expression. He supressed the urge to shake her off, but as the crowd of people thickened and the woman squeezed tighter on to him, he caught sight of a male.

Sure, the woman didn't saw the man. She only inspected the various people, trading with guns and swords.

After all, this was district 9. The poor district.

As Jack saw the sly look of the man, Jack positioned the round end of his staff around her waist, pulling her closer, while the staff illustrated a wall, shielding her.

Tooth didn't question his action and simply placed her other hand on his arm, too, thinking he did that so she wouldn't get lost in the crowd.

* * *

"You're room, Duke. You'll find everything necessary in there. _Fenju_ wishes to see you after you changed into dry clothes." The guard stepped aside and bowed.

Tooth dropped her head as she walked behind Jack into the rather large room, while the guard waited outside.

It was a simple room. White floor and a creamy painted wall with a table and couch on her left.

The complete right side was out of glass, giving them the chance to look over the enormous and magnificent city. And don't get started with the lightning you could see. Although Tooth hated thunderstorms, she always loved to watch the lights.

But the best was the roofed balcony. She knew what she would do once Jack was out of sight.

As on cue the door, apparently for the bedroom, opened and Jack stepped out of it. Tooth nearly gasped at his sight. He looked better than two hours ago, not as pale, and the white armor shimmered in the light.

He literally screamed royalty, if it wasn't for his rather angry expression plastered on his face. He walked up to her.

"Don't open the door and don't leave this room. Stay." He said stern and looked her over. She was pale and her face was flushed. He had to make sure she get a proper meal so she wouldn't collapse.

"And go get a shower. There are fresh clothes for you." He said and smirked at her now pissed expression, before rushing past her to his meeting with the King. "And there will be a guard on the outside of the door." With that the door clicked shut and it was silent.

Tooth stood there for a moment, trying to proceed what just happened. It was complete silent once Jack locked the door so no one would enter this room.

She knew he did it for her safety, but she still was mad at him for doing it. Like she was some kind of of animal. She would show him soon enough what she was capable off.

But first she searched for the bathroom. In her current room was no other door, so she walked to the door, where Jack came from and opened it, revealing a huge room with a bed in it, in which ten clones of her could sleep without disturbing each other. Behind the bed was another wall out of glass.

Tooth shook her head.

"Royals."

With that she walked to the door on her left and rose her brows. The bathroom was smaller than she expected. Just a mere white tube with a walk-in shower next to it, a toilette and a sink with a mirror above it.

She shrugged and took of her clothes and stepped into the shower, feeling the hot water relax her sore muscles and she suddenly felt more tired than she ever had felt.

After good half an hour she stepped out of it and grabbed a nearby white towel and rubbed her body dry before changing in her new clothes.

It was a white and blue toga. A white piece of fabric was wrapped around one shoulder and flowed behind her, while it fit tightly against her upper body. A blue string around her waist separated it and a white skirt flowed down to the middle of her tight.

It wasn't revealing and wasn't formal.

Perfect for a slave.

Tooth stepped out of the bathroom back to the living room and opened one of the doors to the balcony.

She was about to do something she hadn't done for nearly ten years. It was a simple dance she created herself in order to get rid off the nervousness or other disturbing emotions.

She stepped into the middle of the balcony. The floor was out of marble and the roof above it was made of some kind of metal. Tooth shrugged it off. It would do.

Soon she closed her eyes and began to move, working her way through the same steps she'd taken over and over again as she was younger.

Usually she did it with colourful foulards as an extra, but now she went without them. The dance itself was a mix off ballet and freestyle. In situations like this she felt like a bird and maybe the grace and beauty of those hummingbirds back on Earth were the reason Tooth was so struck with this dance.

She leapted up in the air, doing a 180° while performing a split, and landed on the marble, bending her knees before continuing her dance.

She hadn't shown it to anyone. Not even her own father.

She found it embarrassing.

She twirled her body and arched her back before dropping her body forward. Tooth crossed her arms near the floor and while she raised her upper body up again, she brought one of her legs up behind her in a 95°.

Tooth felt like a prima ballerina.

And she always smiled when she did this dance.

Unfortunately she forgot about time. It wasn't like she forgot about Jack, but she never thought he would be back so soon.

..

.

On his way back to his room Jack was in a good mood. _Fenju_ offered his training rooms after Jack explained, that he was sent by his father to get stronger.

Jack didn't want anyone to know that he would kill his father.

But _Fenju_ wanted one thing. He wanted to know, who his companion was, since he did not like strangers on his planet. Jack offered to bring her with him the next day and _Fenju_ accepted.

Once he opened the door to his room he assumed that the woman was asleep, although he was just itching to go and argue with her. He liked arguing with her, how her cheeks flushed in anger and her eyes lit up or her foot stomped on the ground..

But what he found outside stopped him dead in his tracks and made him forget about all the teasing.

There she was, twirling, sweeping and jumping around with her arms floating gracefully beside her.

She smiled. A real smile.

She did look beautiful when she danced with the lightning, which struck every now and then, behind her, but she didn't seem to notice. Jack leaned against the wall opposite of the glass wall, watching her like a predator.

Too soon for Jack she stopped after one last jump in the air and she slowly landed back on the marble floor, her eyes partly open in her own little world. She breathed heavily and after a good five minutes she started to walk back. Jack hated to admit it, but he was awestruck.

..

.

Tooth felt better and ready to go to bed, but when she entered the room and looked up she saw Jack lazily leaning against the wall next to the bedroom.

She stopped in her tracks and gasped. How long did he-? She stopped her thoughts. "Jack!" Tooth raised her hand to her chest. "You know that creeping up on someone is stalking?"

"You won't be a warrior in your whole life. You didn't seem to notice me back then." Jack said casually and smirked at her face.

"How long?"

"Enough to actually see what a fool you are." He answered smugly and Tooth turned red. "Don't make such a deal out of it." Jack said annoyed. Why was she so upset? He didn't saw the problem.

"It's embarrassing." She looked up with a sheepish expression. "You shouldn't have-" She didn't finished her sentence, feeling somehow tipsy. "Sorry."

Now Jack was confused and knitted his brows. She didn't do anything to make her say those words. "Stop this,_ keasn_!" **(damn)**

Tooth looked up, shocked at his outburst and closed her eyes. She was so utterly embarrassed and she couldn't stop the spinning in her head. "Just forget it. Now excuse me." She lowered her head and tried to walk to the bathroom to escape him.

Jack grabbed her arm, spun her around and pinned her to the wall.

"Please.." She whispered and looked away.

"Listen. Quit behaving like a child. There's absolutely no reason for you to freak out like this. Man up!"

Tooth closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall. "You said I was a fool."

Jack eyed her. A loud boom could be heard as the thunder struck somewhere near, but neither of them moved. "I wouldn't have been watching you, if I thought you looked like a fool. So stop bitching around." He practically growled while Tooth's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Seriously?" She asked and Jack narrowed his eyes, a slight warning that she went to far. But then she had to laugh and Jack stepped away from her.

"What the hell are you laughing about?!" He demanded and Tooth laughed even harder.

"I- I-" She stopped as she laughed again, but tried to muffle them with her hand until only giggles escaped her mouth. "Haha, it's you! How you're trying to be nice! This is so not you!"

It was quiet after that and they looked at each other.

Until Tooth laughed again and Jack walked into the bedroom, slamming the door shut. Eventually he opened it again, shooting her a glare.

"I will be nice the day I don't want to punch the damn kangaroo. You sleep on the couch." He growled and was about to slam the door shut again, when she murmured something.

"Making me laugh like this." She didn't look up and didn't realize that he had heard her. "You sure are something, mister high and mighty."

Jack closed the door. "Tch." He grunted and walked to the bathroom to change his clothes and go to bed.

..

.

After Tooth stumbled to the couch and lay down the world around her spun. It didn't help that the thunderstorm seemed to get stronger every second. She couldn't sleep and in the middle of the night she shrieked as a lightning strike happened somewhere near again.

She never saw a storm this heavy.

Deciding that she had enough of this, she wanted to go to the bathroom, where no windows were.

But she had to go through the bedroom. Where Jack slept.

She groaned and felt something in her throat. She coughed miserably and spit out blood again.

"Shit." Tooth cursed and stood up. Now she had the perfect excuse for walking in his room. She stood and used her hands to steady her and before she opened the door, she leaned against it, feeling the cool metal.

She quietly opened the door, seeing Jack's figure on the bed. It was cold in here and she loved it. She didn't shoot Jack another look and she walked over to the bathroom, opening the door and sliding down on her butt once it was closed again.

..

.

Jack indeed heard her. You have to be a light sleeper when you're a warrior. You have to sense everything in direct reach, even in your sleep. Jack didn't move, but cracked one eye open to see her shaking figure walking over to the bathroom.

Something was definitely wrong with her and the coughing he heard behind the door only confirmed his suspicion. But he would be damned if he walked over to her, asking what was wrong with her.

Since when did the bone came to the dog?

He tried to get back to sleep, but the woman wouldn't leave his mind. He never, and he meant never _ever_, did he thought about a mere woman like this. He actually wanted to know what was wrong with her.

That's when she opened the door again and saw her walking over to the bed.

The bed, in which he lay himself.

What shocked him most was that he didn't mind at all. And it wasn't like she jumped on him, she just lay there on the complete other side at least five feet away from him.

Then another lightening strike happened and he felt her figure jump and he nearly laughed.

Such a scared little kitten..

..

.

Tooth couldn't control her heartbeat and after she coughed up more blood in the bathroom, she felt more than tired. She sweated and that's why she decided to stay in Jack's room.

When the lightning struck, she jumped and wanted nothing more than to-

She thought about it.

Could she do this? Or would he pick her up and let her fall on the ground outside his room?

She felt bad enough, but she felt so damn _hot, _so she swiftly rolled over to Jack, crawling near him. She settled herself against him, her back facing his side, since he lay on his back. He didn't stir, so she tried to relax and focus on the cold he radiated.

After what felt like forever she felt him move.

He fucking wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back against his bare chest and Tooth felt suddenly more than relaxed. Even safe with his grip around her.

_"Juh'pa." __**(chicken)** _He whispered in her ear and Tooth felt instantly better at his soft, deep voice and the coldness.

..

.

Jack was no idiot. He felt that she was scared and that her temperature had risen, so he moved towards her to cool off her body. He used his one hand to bring her closer around her waist and the other one he moved under her head to lay it against her forehead, using his under arm for her as a pillow.

She groaned and he felt her muscles relax as his coolness washed over her body.**  
**

He smirked. Now she owed him. After all, he could have just shove her out of the bed or even freeze her right then and there.

But it felt actually good with her so close to him and he lowered his head, nuzzling her bare neck, kissing the tender skin underneath his lips, feeling sleep taking over with the familiar scent radiating off of her.

..

.

Tooth woke up the next morning and instantly rolled her body out of Jack's grasp, coughing madly into her hand. She brought her knees forward until she sat on her knees and doubled over in her coughing fit.

These were getting worse.

She felt hands pulling her long hair away from her face and after a second a cooling sensation on her neck. Tooth wanted to laugh, to cry, to scream - all at once. She felt miserably and everything spun around her.

After the coughs died down, she breathed heavily and tried to control her rapid heartbeat, but to no avail. She felt being dragged against something cold and she looked up, seeing Jack sitting behind her.

And she could actually describe the emotion swiveling in his eyes.

_Concern._

Or did her temperature gave her hallucinations? She wasn't sure..

Tooth looked down at her hands in her lap and cringed at the blood. "Sorry." She mumbled and felt Jack grabbing her arm, turning it so he could see her under arm better.

"What is that?" He asked and Tooth opened her eyes. She sweated and everything seemed to get worse with every second.

"An arm?" She muttered.

She just wanted to sleep..

..

.

Jack nearly wanted to yell at her for being so stupid. As she coughed he felt something tug at his heart.

She coughed up blood! It was fucking blood that covered her hands and his bed!

What exactly happened to her? Barely seven hours ago she danced like she didn't care a fig about anything in the whole universe and now?

Why didn't he see that red mark on her arm earlier? When did this happened anyway? He concluded that it was always too dark to notice the little red mark on her otherwise rather tan skin, but as he pulled her hair away he saw it. Three smaller marks decorated the mark in the center of her under arm.

He was sure it was some kind of virus.

Why the fuck didn't she tell him?!

Jack felt her heartbeat slow down and for the first time he felt a certain feeling creeping up his veins.

Fear.

* * *

**A/N: **_And Tooth died. End of story.._

_Haha, no! It was fun writing this chapter, especially the part where Tooth danced. Although I think I messed up this chapter.. Do you know the feeling when you write and everything is clear in your mind and then you look at what you've written.. And you're like wtf? XD_

I'm sorry for any grammatical errors, sense or spelling mistakes! And I'm sorry for the late update! Maybe you heard about the flood in Germany? Guess what, I live next to a river.

_Next chapter: What to do with Tooth? What is Bunny up to? And what about a ball for a special guest? Who could that be.. You'll see!  
_

_Stay tuned and thanks for every review/fav/follow you guys send me!_


	11. Playing with Fire

**Point Of No Return**

**A/N: **_I'm so terribly sorry for the late update! I hope you're not angry with me.. Anyways, I found a **beta**! Yay! This chapter **isn't beta'd** though, 'cause she has some problems with her computer, but my story will seriously change in the next chapters, because she's awesome! The first two chapters are beta'd, so you can take a look if you want. :)  
Again: I'm really.. reaally sorry!  
_

_Have fun now (It's a longer chapter) !_

* * *

_'..rd i.. age.'_

Huh?

_'When wi.. co..'_

Tooth's eyes fluttered open.

_'Night o.. da..'_

A few people hovered above her while she crouched. She could only make out their silhouettes.

_'..le slipped.'_

"Wha-?" Tooth stopped and coughed terrible. It was hard to speak, yet alone to breathe.

_'Who..'_

Tooth wanted to yell, to scream. She didn't know what happened to her. Was she finally insane?

A sharp pain interrupted her thoughts.

"Ahhhhrg!"

She tossed her body around, trying to get rid of the burning sensation in her lungs.

Why didn't someone help her?

It was like someone tried to crawl its way from the inside to the outside through her skin.

Tooth gritted her teeth and opened her eyes, blinking a few times.

Right, she was in Jack's room.

So cold, yet so warm.

_Geez,_ she's going insane for real now.

Her vision was blurry, but she could make out the outline of Jack's face and unruly hair. Lightning struck, but Tooth couldn't care less. She watched in awe as his face lit up for just a second.

His damn gorgeous face.

But why was he frowning?

Another wave of pain and she screamed out loud again. She felt another lump crawling up her throat and she spit it out before slumping again.

Salty and metallic.

Blood.

Suddenly Tooth felt something cool on her chin, apparently wiping away the blood before the cold wandered to her throat. She opened her eyes, looking up into Jack's eyes. The cold soothed her throat and she tried to raise her hand to his face, but she had no more power to do this.

"Help me."

..

.

Jack was shocked by himself. For the first time in his life he was _afraid. _Excluding the part, where E-.. He shook his head. He looked down at her. Her eyes were wide open, but she looked like she was in some kind of trance.

"_Toothiana?"_ He asked out loud.

Bad idea. She screamed and trashed around and Jack had to pin her down, so she wouldn't harm herself any further.

Jack frowned. The moment he saw that mark on her arm he knew what was happening to her. He already saw that happening to other.. In some ways it was the perfect punishment, but _she _didn't deserve to die like this.

And he knew there was no cure.

No cure.

Lightning struck again and he saw the already forming black veins under her eyes for a split second.

"_Eboutka._" He said out loud.

The fatal disease. First the vector implanted his toxin in the blood system. After one hour you're emotions go haywire, while the toxin wanders to the lungs, forming little bubbles, where descendants will be produced.

After another hour those parasites will destroy the shell and dig their way outside. Jack had approximately half an hour to find a cure, but like he said.. there was none.

It was nasty and awfully painful, so Jack didn't like to watch those who're infected. It was the most dishonorable death. In his opinion the only way to die was out on the battlefield. Fast and like a warrior. Not slowly and by imbeciles..

After she vomited up blood again, he wiped it away on her chin. There shouldn't be blood on such a vulnerable creature. But wasn't this what he inwardly wanted? That she died? He said he wouldn't kill her, but _this_ was something else. If he didn't end her life now, she would only suffer further.

Jack grabbed her throat gently, preparing to kill her and put her out of her misery.

"Help me."

Jack looked down at her. Her voice was croaky and the sweat glittered in the lightning. Her breathing was rapid, but he couldn't snap her neck.

He couldn't.

"**What are you doing to me?!" **Jack yelled in her face, ignoring the fact she couldn't quite hear him. **"Why can't I just kill you?! What is it about you that makes me hesitate?!"**

Jack gritted his teeth. Being on this planet with her in tow wasn't what he imagined when his father sent him off and now he couldn't even kill her to get rid of her.

_'Help me she said'_ Jack snarled inwardly and grabbed his staff from the right side of the bed, grabbed her wrists, using the open window to bend the wind to his will, sending a huge gush of wind his way, which ended in him flinging out of the bed with her. He crouched down for a second while he brought her body closer to him, eyeing her face.

"You owe me big, woman." He said and stood, walking out of his room to the lab. If he couldn't kill her, others would do..

Or so he thought.

..

.

_"He golb ka?"_

_"Yi."_

_"Ouh na."_

Two men in white coats were busy handling a new technology. One man reached out and pressed a button.

_Beep beep beep.._

Ten seconds later a huge grin crept on both their faces.

_"Yi 'na!" _They yelled and high fived.

_Beep beep..._

They slowly looked over to the device behind a thick protection glass with dread plastered on to their faces.

_Beeeeeeeeeeeep chrrck_

A loud _boom_ could be heard and the men cursed loudly, mourning over the destroyed device.

Suddenly the door was slammed open and they turned their heads over to the source of noise. Their eyes grew wide.

"Frost?!"

_**(Switching to English, imagine they talk in a foreign language for now)**_

Without a word, Jack rushed over to them. "Heal her!" He demanded darkly and the man swallowed before eyeing the girl in his arms. Briefly he looked up, wondering why the Duke would care about the girl in the slave attire. Plus it was early in the morning. Adding the fact that he was shirtless and-

"Now!" Jack yelled and the men got down to action, deciding they could think about the Duke's attitude later. They headed over to another room with Jack close behind them.

"Place her on the operation table." One man instructed and Jack ignored the lack of respect for now before obeying. Meanwhile the other man placed a few instruments on a plate and rushed over to her, checking her vital signs after he put on surgical gloves and threw another pair to his companion.

"What is this?"

The man held a crinkled paper in his hands and Jack rushed over to snatch it away from him and point over to the woman.

"I think the paper isn't your first priority right now, is it?" He asked darkly and the man simply nodded.

Jack looked down and slowly clenched the paper in his fist. She would have to tell him what this was about, since it looked like a weapon. He was relieved that the man didn't see that, no need to arouse anyone's suspicions.

He pocketed the paper in his pants and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

..

.

"Temperature over forty degrees. Tension.."

Jack didn't even listen to them, while they established a vascular access and tried to maintain an open airway. He only focused on her face. She mumbled incoherent and Jack took a step forward to hear them, when one man cried out.

"We've got blood!"

Jack stopped in his tracks and watched as she coughed up more blood and the men tried to prevent her from aspiration.

"It's the lungs."

"Give me more mull. That's a lot of blood here. We're risking a pulmonary embolism!"

"Asystolia!"

Jack heard the steady noise of the machine and his mind blanked. He could only hear the device.

_Beeeeeeeeeeeeee~_

This sound proverbial punched him in the gut and he wanted to fight it. But it wasn't his fight. Jack looked at her face, which was now slightly blue due to the lack of oxygen.

It was her fight.

And she was about to lose it.

"1mg adrenalin! I'll do thoracic compression! Hurry!"

The man injected the adrenalin through her i.V. and rushed to intubate her.

"No effect. Restoring heart beat!" The other man said and grabbed the paddles. "Ready!" The man, who intubated her raised his hands, while a shockwave run through her body, trying to get her heart to beat again.

_'If you die, I'll drag you back and kill you again for dying such a poor way, woman!' _Jack thought and leaned against the wall, not once taking off his eyes on the scene before him. _'Like there was a chance for her to survive..' _He shook his head.

"Again!"

"Ready!"

Her body shook violently again and this time her heart beat again.

"Pulse 87. For now she's stable." One man said after checking her vital signs, while the other one continued pumping oxygen into her lungs through the tube.

After throwing away his gloves one turned to the Duke, crossing his arms over his chest. "What exactly happened?"

"It's _Eboutka."_ Jack said monotone and the men's eyes grew wide. "She will die." He added and leaned his head against the wall. The men watched as the Duke suddenly turned around, so his back faced them. With a quick nod, one of the men spoke up.

"There might be a chance, Duke."

"No, there isn't!" Jack yelled and turned around to point his finger at him. "I've seen this before. Some bloody shit is going on in her and we can't fucking stop this. Just.. Kill her. Spare her the suffering." Jack's eyes grew wide. It was the first time he thought about sparing ANYONE.

"I guess you didn't hear us." The other man said and Jack tilted his head.

"Don't fuck with me." He glared at him and tucked his staff under his chin threateningly.

"We don't. We've invented a special device. It's a prototype though, but it might be her only chance.."

..

.

Tooth regained conscious. The first thing she heard was a faint beeping sound, but it was a dull sound. She felt like she floated and one question popped up in her mind:

_'Am I dead?'_

She felt a lot better than the last time she was conscious. No pain, just tired. Tooth peeked through one of her eyes.

She was in water. More bluish, but indeed water. She opened her other eye too and placed both of her hands on the glass, which separated her and the room. A mask was placed over her mouth and bubbles escaped every now and then. She raised her head and observed her surroundings.

_'I'm in some kind of.. capsule? Am I in a lab?'_

Tooth panicked. Why was she here? Why wasn't there someone else and why the hell was. She. Here?! Tooth punched the glass in order to break it, but it was no use in the water.

"Calm down." A demanding voice said and walked in front of the glass. "The device will set off an alarm, if you won't calm down."

Tooth watched him.

_'Jack?'_

Bubbles escaped her mask and she fanatically tried to get rid of it.

"Don't." He said and walked towards her capsule, so he was merely inches away from her. "Otherwise you'll drown."

And Tooth obeyed, slowly letting her arms float next to her. She just looked at him, wondering what had happened. She wasn't aware that it was just Jack's presence soothing her nerves.

As if he heard her mental question he opened his mouth to speak. "You're infected with _Eboutka._ It's a virus, which normally results in death." He simply stated, not once taking his eyes of her.

* * *

_"Argh, shit!" Tooth yelled and smacked her arm. "Stupid mosquito!" She looked up, but saw nothing but green palms, trees and plants._

* * *

Tooth's brow rose. That's where the burning sensation from her chest came from, but.. why wasn't she dead then?

"Two scientists invented this-" He pointed to the capsule. "and you're the first to ever test it. Apparently it cured you. You'll feel tired, but other than that you're as good as new."

Tooth closed her eyes and smiled, but it was hid behind the mask. So she was safe. Jack saved her.

"Don't you dare think I did it for you." Jack suddenly said and Tooth opened her eyes, her hair floated around her. "I didn't do it for you." He said again and Tooth raised his hand to the glass, placing it against it.

Jack watched silently her tiny hand and he looked up at her face. Her huge lilac eyes..

.. and she nodded.

She fucking nodded!

He gritted his teeth and turned around, walking out of the room and leaving her. She was like a shadow, following him in the back of his mind. Hell, she didn't even need to be around him to hunt his mind. She did a pretty damn good job, even unconscious.

"_De han upan!" __**(Damn female creature)**_

..

.

Tooth wobbled slightly when she finally made soil contact and one man grabbed her arm to steady her. It was apparently forenoon by now and more scientist wandered around the lab, eyeing her like a lab rat, but Tooth ignored them.

Ten minutes after Jack walked away those men came and explained everything what had happened to her and how she was able to live now.

Their English was pretty good, although with a slight accent.

**Earlier**

"So you put her in this.. tank and she'll be like _'puff' _new?" Jack used his hands to emphasize the _puff_. He didn't believe them. There was no machine, which would be able to heal a disease like this.

"That was the short description of it, but well-" The man shrugged. "Yes."

Jack pinched the bridge of his nose. "Then fucking do it."

"There's just one problem."

Jack looked up, narrowing his eyes. "One of them seems to be your existence."

The man held up his hands in defense. "No offence. But this girl seems to be in the last stadium, so there are parasites in her lungs. If she's in the tank, they'll use the liquid for themselves, getting in some kind of symbiosis. They'll get stronger, which will be the death of her."

"So?"

The other man stepped beside the other one. "We have to get rid of them first."

Jack looked at them and took a step forward. "And you want me to do that? My last update on _Eboutka_ was that the descendants can't be killed."

"We have investigated. They can be killed, but for this we don't have enough power.." The man looked unsure.

Jack let out a laugh. "I already knew that your species isn't one of the advanced ones." After that he turned serious. "You want me to kill them with my cold." It was not a question, but a fact.

"Yes. Their enzymes won't work at -175 degree Celsius. We can't provide this kind of coldness, but you can."

"This will kill her." Jack deadpanned. "She can't resist my coolness."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but we don't have much time left." One man said from behind them and pointed to the girl's body, which coughed terribly again. Jack watched until those died down, while the men tried to stabilize her once again.

Her body was soaked in sweat and her face was flushed. The black veins under her eyes had spread down to her cheek. Slowly he made his way over, wondering why he put up with this shit in the first place, but the thought of her dying didn't seem right to him.

But was it all worth it?

He leaned closer to her face, placing his hands on either side of her head. He could hear her shaky intake of air.

"She'll live?"

".."

"Will she live?" Jack asked more urgent, not once taking his eyes off her face.

"W- We will try our best."

Jack thought about it. It wasn't a definitely yes and it wasn't a definitely no. There was a chance she will survive and he got the feeling, that this chance will either be his downfall or a new start.

He didn't like new things. You never know if they'll screw you once you turn your back to them.

"We have to hurry!"

Jack shot him the most deadly glare he could muster and smirked as the men swallowed loudly and a trail of sweat run down his temple.

He looked down at her. It wasn't that he was nervous to do this, they already did this, but he didn't know if it was the right decision. But who know what was right and what was false?

With this thought in mind he lowered himself more and pressed his lips gently on hers and the moment slowed down. This was it.

He can either save her or just let his lips stay where they were, without doing anything until she's dead.

Fuck this shit.

Jack convinced himself he won't do it just for her. He needed her alive. She was smart and she will be useful.

He slowly moved his lips, opening hers in the process. He pressed for the smallest second down, savoring the feeling and taste apart from the blood.

Jack slowly let a flow of icy cold breath run down her throat to her lungs.

"Hmmrgh." The woman squirmed underneath him and he grabbed her hands, trying to stop her struggling.

He stopped the flow and breathed in, inhaling her natural scent over her sweat, although the mix of both wasn't unappealing. Jack sent a second flow of his icy breath out and this time he intertwined their fingers and squeezed them as she arched her back in pain and groaned.

The whole process took around seven seconds, but to him it was like an hour. He inwardly waited for another moment to touch her after the events back on the ship, although the current situation could be interpreted as macabre, but he didn't give a damn.

After pressing a gentle kiss on her lips after he finished his job, Jack opened his eyes and watched her eyes, which were open just like his. He could see she was tired, weak and on the brink of death, but he only focused on her lilac eyes, showing him nothing but pure..

He didn't even know how to name it!

Calmness? Appreciating?

He pulled back just a little and the last thing he saw before her eyes rolled into the back of her head was a small smile, barely noticeable. The moment the men pulled her away from him and dragged her over to the tank, he decided that he would wait here.

No way he would let her get out of this situation this easily.

..

.

**Present**

"So.. _Flynn_." Tooth chuckled nervously. Who in the right mind introduced himself with _'May I just say.. Hi? The name's Flynn.' _She didn't trust him.

"I assume the liquid is mixed with nutritions and micro nanocytes?" Tooth asked after one man introduced himself.

Flynn smiled. "Yes. The nanocytes build up your lung tissue and the nutritions fed you. You're a smart girl, it's a shame you're a slave."

Tooth shot him a sad smile. "I can help you though."

"How can you possibl-" He began, but got interrupted.

"Where is she?!" A deep voice demanded and Tooth rolled her eyes. Typical Jack. Her eyes were glued to the door, where he would most like march through to either yell or growl at her while she took the offered towel and new, dry clothes.

But she would thank him.

"You can't just- Hey!" A man said before the door opened and Tooth's eyes grew wide.

"Wh- Who are you?" She asked and tried to hide behind Flynn.

"What? Ah, sorry." The man took off the helmet and Tooth gaped at him.

"Bunny?!" She exclaimed and eyed him. "I mean- You're really- How?" She stuttered and Bunny rushed over to her.

"Shh, it's ok." He smiled down at her. "I'll explain everything to you. Later."

"Oh, Bunny." Tooth took a step forward to crush him in a bone breaking hug, completely unaware of her being soaked. "I.. I thought. I can't..I." She stopped and sobbed.

Bunny looked down at her and shot Flynn a quizzically look. "What happened?" He asked in their language.

He shrugged. "Her emotions will overwhelm her for a few hours, but not as strong than the time she was infected. It will slowly remedy to normal. She will be tired, but otherwise she's perfectly fine." He answered Bunny in the same language. "Watch out for the mark on her under arm. If it vanishes, she's in no danger anymore."

Tooth grumbled. "You know it's rude to speak in a foreign language. I don't know what you're talking about."

Both laughed and Bunny switched to English, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "He just told me that you'll be fine. Look, who's here, too."

A buzzing sound reached her ears and Tooth stood on her toes to look at something, which hid itself behind Bunny's shoulder.

A familiar face looked at her and Tooth smiled.

"The hummingbird!" She cheered and said bird flew at her cheek to greet her. It tickled and Tooth giggled.

By now everyone in the lab looked at her, each had a warm smile plastered on their faces, especially Bunny.

"How did you get her?" Tooth asked as she hugged the bird to her cheek.

Bunny winked. "Secret." In fact, he just took the bird with him once he left Ar'Kit, not wanting to leave such a vulnerable bird to the violence on the planet. "Ready to go?"

Tooth looked up into his green eyes. He reminded her of a real bunny, not only because of his name, but his ears were in fact slightly longer, more sharper than human ears and his short brown grayish hair looked like fur.

"If it's.. You don't mind, if I.. stay here? For a while? I.. want to look around."

Bunny saw in her eyes that she was tired, but the light in them showed him, that the mere thought of inspecting another planet's technology at first hand would make her happy. He slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry. The former King _Fenju _wants to have a talk with you. Maybe after that?" He looked at Flynn and so did Tooth.

"Please?" She asked sheepishly while the bird landed on top of her head, looking equally shy.

"What about the Duke?"

"I'll take care of him." Bunny answered Flynn and Tooth smiled.

"Cool! Wait!" Suddenly her eyes grew wide in fear. "The King wants to have a talk with me?"

"Don't worry. I'll be there with you." Bunny reassured, but Tooth couldn't help the dread in the pit of her stomach. The last time a King wanted to have a talk with her - apart from her father - he tortured her and sent her off to some crazy harem.

"W- Where's Jack?" She asked, feeling the need to thank him before speaking with the King. "I- I need to thank him." She whispered and Bunny's brow rose.

"Thank him?"

Tooth simply nodded.

"I guess this has to wait, too." Bunny told her and she hung her head. "The bird can wait here for you. I sorta-" He stopped and rubbed his neck. "I forgot to feed him and I guess since this is a lab you guys would be able to feed it up?" He directed to Flynn, who nodded.

"'Course." Flynn smiled and all did their goodbyes.

On their way to the throne room, Bunny bent down to her and whispered. "The inhabitants, _Gribdurza's, _are like shadows. Don't feel irritated if someone materialized out of thin air in front of you."

Tooth nodded, taking in the information. This race surely was interesting.

..

.

"Hello Toothiana Nuri. I am _Fenju, _King of Durza_._ _Kelp k'ma Durza ot." __**(Welcome to our planet Durza.)**_

Tooth currently bowed on the stone floor, looking up and watching him as he moved his left pinky finger down from the middle of his forehead, over his nose to the middle of his chest, where he did a semicircle with both of his hands. Was this some kind of welcome-gesture?

Tooth coughed. "Thank you, King of Durza. I am Toothiana and I feel honored to be a guest on your planet." She stood and tried to copy his former move, earning her a hearty laugh. She tilted his head in confusion.

"I'm sorry, Toothiana, but with this move you blessed me with your presence. It's a move only provided by the King of Durza."

Tooth's eyes grew wide and she hung her head. "I'm terribly sorry for being arrogating."

"No harm's done. So you are Duke Frost's slave?"

Tooth looked briefly up, but averted her gaze down almost instantly. "Yes."

"Ahh. I already talked to him.. It has been years over years and still, his manner has remained discourteous as ever." _Fenju _looked at her as she snorted, feeling something well up inside of him. "You're a _Chikyuu_, right?"

"Excuse me, I can't understand your language." Tooth said with the slightest bit of annoyance for not being able to understand it. '_Damn Jack, Bunny and nearly everyone who can..'_

The King chuckled. "You're from Earth?"

"Yes!" She hastily agreed. "Do you know someone there?"

_Fenju's _eyes seemed to glance over and he shook his head, focusing on the girl in front of him. "Yes, a few men, who stranded here, but we sent them back safely." He smiled.

Tooth, who regretted her outburst, only hung her head in respect, since Jack did told her to behave like a proper slave.

"How long have you been a slave?" He suddenly asked and Tooth looked up, gasping at his closeness.

"A- As long as I can think, King." She stuttered, not daring to move back. It was a lie, but she had a perfect plan.

He raised his hand and placed it on her forehead. His eyes widened for a mere second, before he smiled a small smile. **'No, you weren't. You were once.. so much more. And there is so much more to come yet.' **He thought and drew back his hand.

"I wonder, who gifted you with those special eyes." He mumbled, so Tooth didn't hear him.

"King _Fenju_? Have I caused you any offense? If so, I am truly very sorry-" Tooth began, but _Fenju _held up a finger to silence her.

"No, you have caused me no offense. In truth, it is I who should ask for your forgiveness." In a blink of an eye and without a gush of wind he was back on his throne and Tooth had to think about Bunny's words merely five minutes ago.

Tooth looked up at _Fenju, _who sat on his throne, the epitome to superiority. But _Fenju _didn't seem to be so.. bold about it like Jack.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Toothiana. You have permission to go to the labs. If you need anything, let me know it."

Tooth bowed, thanking him, and turned around to walk out of the room with Bunny by her side. The whole 'main' palace was out of stone, apparently carved right from a huge stone, giving it the perfect safety from the storm outside.

Bunny looked at her confused and she knew it was because of her previous lie. She simply shook her head, silently telling him that she would explain it later.

Suddenly Tooth nearly stopped in her tracks.

_'Why did Fenju know that I wanted to go to the labs?' _She shook her head. Now she had to face Jack.

Sweet Jesus.. Why was she so nervous about it?

..

.

"And there she is. Raisen from the Dead." Jack said sarcastically as he walked out of his bedroom to the living room, where Tooth sat silently, with his white hair being wet from a shower. After he exited the lab he went straight to the training rooms, letting out all his frustration and keeping up with his training. He couldn't get behind his schedule if he wanted to kill this bastard named Pitch.

"Thank you. For saving me." She said with a small smile and stood up. "Bunny told me he was on a mission on a nearby planet, when Durza's headmaster filled him in with us being here."

She stopped and took a deep breath. "I- I have to go now."

Jack saw the slightest bit of sadness in her expression and grabbed her arm as she tried to walk out of the room. "Why didn't you tell me?" The question was rhetorical, no curiosity, but with the hidden demand for an answer.

Silence.

Tooth looked up at him. Even if she only stayed with him for nearly five days, she could see the hidden anger; the hidden meaning behind his question. But she didn't know how to respond.

"Speak! It's not like you're mute or have your throat ripped out!"

Tooth simply held his gaze and his grip around her arm lessened. "Why didn't you tell _Fenju, _that you weren't always my slave? You could have gone home." He knew about her lie, since she came back to his room.

_Fenju _didn't approve slaves. His father visited him a long time ago with a slave too, but _Fenju _didn't rescue her, because she was already broken. If he had known the woman in front of him was a slave for only a couple of days, he would've helped her to escape. So why didn't he just send her home?

_'Why didn't you tell me?'_ Tooth knew what he meant. Her illness, but how can she tell him about something she didn't know either? And Jack didn't seem like the one you would go and tell that you don't feel well.

"Someone told me that I can't escape my fears or addictions." She said out loud. "That the universe is a cruel place." She looked him dead in the eyes. "And that you don't care about anyone."

For once, Jack was speechless.

As Tooth took a step forward, he growled and grabbed now both of her arms, spinning her around to face him. "Of course I don't care. I am a killer. That's my only task, my only purpose."

"You saved me."

Each word was like a stab in his gut.

"Why?"

".."

"Please.." She pleaded.

"I loathe innocence." He whispered. "You're an innocent woman in the arms of not only my own kind. A marionette."

"I already told you that I don't need your pity!"

He brought her closer. "I don't pity you. I don't pity anyone! Every living being is able to decide where to go and what to do in their lives, so no one should complain!"

"Why would you possibly save me then?!" She then raised his index and middle finger to the side of his neck, where his pulse was. "And tell me the truth. I'll be able to tell if you're lying." She was so close to him now, but she ignored the shaking of her body and focused on his face.

Jack nearly laughed as she copied his move he did, when they were on the ship.

He looked serious. "You are not tainted. A week ago you were home and had no clue about all the shit around you." He chuckled humorless. "Innocent people tend to think they're more worthy just because they have no idea what's going on!"

".."

"And I'm the Duke of Ar'Kit. I'm feared."

".."

"People do as I say."

".."

"They follow me like they follow the moonlight in a dark forest back to their home."

".."

"I don't fear anything."

.."

"And I do. Not. Care." He gritted his teeth as Tooth listened silently.

Nearly a minute passed before Tooth opened her mouth to speak.

"You're lonely, aren't you?"

Tooth knew the darkness inside him, even tasted it for a short period of time. She've learned to handle his moods, his disdain for all creatures, even of his own kind. But he never opened up this far to her.

As Tooth's question faded into silence, the heavy rain and thunder was the only thing they could hear. Now she dared to let her hand wander to his cheek and looked into his eyes. Unfeeling, cold, empty and deadly; yet beautiful and endless.

"You're lonely." Tooth repeated and held her breath. His eyes remained cold as he stared at her.

"Why do you stay?"

Tooth's hand on his cheek tensed and Jack grabbed it, holding it flush against his cheek. "Why?" He asked again, more urgent.

"I- I've seen different sides of you." Tooth didn't lie, she really saw them. She understood, that he was cold and distanced, because no one taught him else; that it was nothing to be ashamed off to actually let out all emotions, whether they're happy or sad ones. No, Jack bottled them and caged them behind a thick wall.

However, Tooth was able to crack it slightly. She was able to see behind it, even if it was only for a short moment.

Pride.

He was too proud to feel loneliness. Too stubborn to admit that he indeed cared. If not for her, then for someone else. But she definitely saw it.

"I won't leave you. Yet." Tooth said and Jack's grip around her hand tightened. "I won't leave you." She repeated in a whisper.

Nothing. Silence. Eye-contact.

As Tooth blinked, Jack lowered his hand which held Tooth's and took a step forward.

She took a step back.

Jack's brow rose and a smirk appeared on his lips. He took another step, while she took another one back, until her back collided with the wall.

"Not again.." She sighed and Jack pressed himself against her, holding her tiny figure up. "Why do you always have to be the one in control?" She whispered as he leaned in and stopped only inches away from her lips.

"Because I like it." He whispered huskily.

"You're so bloody stubborn." Tooth said.

"And you're naive."

"Jerk."

"Loud-mouth."

"Dick."

"Impudent."

"Ugly."

He pulled back and looked over her flushed face. Slowly he reached behind her and moved his hands around her neck, pulling her gently closer to him.

"Ugly?" He asked nearly laughing.

Tooth stood her ground, holding her chin up.

"Really?" Jack let his nose drag across the side of her face, stopping at the corner of her mouth.

"Mhmm." Was all she could come up with.

His face was right in front of hers.

"Liar." He said.

Tooth moved forward, without thinking why. She just wanted to.

Her lips pressed against his, she kissed him hard and moved her hands up his chest, fisting the fabric of his shirt, which was still partly damp from his shower.

"Duke Frost? King _Fenju _wishes to have a word with you. It's very important!" A voice behind the door called out, but Jack kept lip locking with Tooth, ignoring it.

"Duke Frost?!"

Jack pulled away, turning his head into the direction of the door. "On my way." He said annoyed, but loud enough for the guard to hear. "And you woman.." He began and he felt a shiver run down her spine as he held her.

He tilted his head and trailed his nose up her neck to her ear, smirking with closed eyes at her goosebumps.

"Look."

Tooth's eyes snapped open, finally aware off her surroundings and looked at the paper in Jack's hand. Two seconds later her eyes widened and she lunged forward to grab it, but Jack held it out of her reach with a smirk. "Give it back!"

"Not before you tell me what this is about." With that he pocketed the blueprint inside his pants. "Later." And in a matter of four seconds he was out of the room, leaving a very startled Tooth behind, who sank down on the ground with shaking limbs.

..

.

After another chat with _Fenju, _Jack came back to his room, only to be greeted with the sight of a certain guard.

"I'm tired of this. You certainly maintain an unhealthy interest in my affairs. First the woman, now you." Jack hissed and walked over to his bedroom, where he threw his staff on his bed. What _Fenju _just told him screwed everything up. "If your next breath displeases me, your head will roll and I will send it back to Ar'Kit in a box." He added as he walked past Bunny. "Where is that damn woman?!"

Bunny simply rolled his eyes. "Toothiana is currently in the labs with Flynn."

Jack's eye twitched, luckily Bunny didn't saw it. Jack knew Flynn. Cocky little bastard, always trying to-

"Why did you take her with you?" Bunny asked, stopping Jack's train of thoughts, which consisted of multiple insults.

Jack blinked a few times and shook his head. "The right questions would be: How the hell did she escape?" With that he glared at Bunny, already knowing how she successfully pulled such a stunt.

Bunny held up his hands in defiance.

"You know what will happen once the King find out about this." Jack deadpanned.

Bunny sighed. "I only did what I thought was right."

"And you disobeyed your KING for your shitty morals?"

Bunny's eyes narrowed. "You know damn well that he is not MY King."

Jack looked at him, remembering the first time he saw Bunny. He was around fourteen as Bunny popped up in his life. No one knew how and why, but he was there.

Bunny was a slave, too and Jack pulled a few pranks back then, which is why Bunny didn't like him a lot.

"You know that I don't remember." Bunny sighed.

Jack only stared at him. "You were able to fight your way to be a first class warrior. Wherever you came from, it must be a warrior race."

That's for sure.

"Have you heard the big news?" Bunny asked out of thin air.

Jack walked over to the glass wall, eyeing the lightning in the sky. "Pitch is growing senile if he thinks that he can come here and change anything."

"There's no doubt that his.. skills can change anyone's mind."

Jack intertwined his hands behind his back, still looking outside. "No doubt? His _skills_, as you say, are rumors spread by those, who want to fuel his self-indulgent ego."

"Yet he successed in corrupting other tribes all over the galaxy." Bunny pointed out.

"Is this all you have to say?" Jack asked annoyed. He didn't need this right now. "Pitch is a bitc**-**"

"Duke! I have a feeling, that we should return to Ar'Kit." Bunny interrupted Jack before he got lost in one of his many ramblings.

"Bunnymund, listen and listen closely." Jack turned around and sent him a hateful glare. "If Pitch thinks he can come to Durza to hone his entourage, then let him. I don't fear him, nor anyone of his miserable kind." Now he pointed a finger at Bunny. " But there is no fucking way that I'll return to the chains that bonds me to my father!"

Bunny dropped his head. "I know, I know." He sighed deeply. "But think about it. Pitch is no ordinary! They say that he gets stronger with each destroyed planet and he destroyed a LOT planets, Duke. And there are more to come."

"It's a pathetic attempt to inflict fear. That's why he gets stronger. Pay those rumors no mind, they're only bedtime stories for little children."

"But it would.. no it IS foolish to pay no heed to their ramblings. Pitch hunts. He loves hunting those who don't believe him and torture them to the point they break. He drinks from any kind of grief, sorrow-"

"ENOUGH!" Jack yelled and glared deadly at Bunny. Stillness came over them and it was like the electricity of the lightning outside wasn't only on the outside. "Don't ever say those words again if you value your life. You believe those fearful imbeciles and spread their lies with the poison of your lips."

Bunny didn't respond right away.

"I'm sorry, Duke."

Jack simply nodded.

"You're not strong enough."

Jack sighed. "Not enough to kill him. Pitch will be here in more or less a week. I need more time."

"Well.. Then we have to make sure Pitch won't corrupt _Fenju._" Bunny then saw the slightest twinkle in Jack's eyes. "Oh, hell no. Whatever you have in mind can't be good. You know that any false move could lead to war, right?"

"Thanks for pointing out my intelligence, cottontail." Jack said smugly and grinned. "I have other plans in mind."

"Oh, this really can't be good." Bunny ran a hand down his face.

"Bunnymund?"

That was the moment Bunny looked up to his Duke's face. He knitted his brows instantly, not knowing what was in his mind that caused him to look like this. Like someone stabbed him.

"Yes?"

"Take.. Take Toothiana and leave this planet as far as possible.. Protect her with your life and make sure she will not want for anything." It was a whisper, but could've been a shout in Bunny's large ears.

"But I cannot leave now!"

"My orders are to be followed!" Jack said sternly. After he watched Bunny's defeated figure, he turned around to look out of the window again. "It's not the first time, Bunny. I don't have to fear him, but she.." He stopped, noticing how unlike him he sounded when he spoke about that woman.

She got under his skin far too quickly.

A loud sight escaped Jack's mouth.

"Until I will it.. never bring her to my presence again!"

* * *

**A/N:**

_I had the most epic ending in my head for this chapter and then I forgot it overnight.. xD _

_I'm sorry for any sense- and spelling-, as well as sense mistakes. It's about 1AM and I'm really tired, so I'm off to bed now. But..  
_

**_Question: _**_Am I too 'deep' with Jack's and Tooth's thougts/emotions? I always have the feeling I'm going too far in describing them.. _

_So.. Goodnight everybody! Stay save! And I love you all for favoring/following and reviewing so far! _

_Again.. I'm sorry for the late update!_


	12. Enter Pitch

**Point Of No Return**

**A/N: **_It's over 9.000! (A cookie for everyone, who knows that quote!) ;)  
_

_No really, 9.822 words for you guys! I feel like I'm going insane._

_Have fun reading it!_

* * *

**Divine inferno, hell on ice. Heaven's burning, sacrifice. Your God sent us to destroy. (Combichrist - Sent to Destroy)**

* * *

Kozmotis Pitchiner was calm.

He was so calm, his own men felt nervous to be with him in one room for more than merely two seconds. More nervous than usual.

In front of Pitch were his Fearlings (currently in form of humanoid soldiers), who had the mission to purge and destroy the planet Alba'na.

They knew that Pitch's calmness wasn't good.

Pitch quietly surveyed the glass with strong alcohol in his slender greyish hand, lips pursing as he studied the dark liquid.

After he slowly bought it to his lips, delicately sipping it, his eyes closed as he saved the taste before he spoke in a voice, which sent shivers down the Fearling's spines.

"What took you so long?"

One Fearling bowed before looking back up. "My Lord, we stand in front of you with good news. Alba'na was successfully purged and destroyed."

Pitch slowly sipped another time, sensing the ever-present fear in those Fearlings. How ironic. For a short moment he smirked, knowing that even his own men knew to fear him.

Good.

Bathing in his own power he turned his gaze, an amber shade of yellow, towards the Fearling. "You didn't answer my question though."

The Fearling swallowed hard. "W- We stumbled onto some-"

"Monkey?" Pitch voice, deep and sharp, interrupted.

Said man walked up to Pitch, stopping right next to him. The Fearlings stared at him, not used to the sight of him yet. _Monkey_ was indeed a monkey, turned into his form by unknown reasons. At least to the Fearlings..

"Yes, my Lord?"

"What did I said to them before they left for their mission?"

Monkey grinned, sensing where Pitch wanted to go with this. He loved Pitch having his own skills to bend his men to his will.

"You said that they-" He pointed to the Fearlings, who now trembled slightly. "Should accomplish the mission in twenty hours. Or-" He stopped for a dramatic pause. "One of them will die."

Pitch smiled in an evil way. "I do believe that is what I said." Monkey smirked and vanished back into the darkness, feeling superior to the Fearlings, because they can't see him while he could see all of them in their state of uncomfortableness.

"And how long did you take?" Pitch waited for an answer, but no one dared to open his mouth. Pitch's grip around the glass tightened and the glass shattered, sending splinters all over the floor in front of him. He stood up from his throne and marched up to the Fearlings, grabbing one of them by the collar and heaving him up. "AND HOW LONG DID YOU TAKE?" He exploded and the Fearling swallowed hard.

Pitch voice quieted to a sharp whisper as he brought his face closer to him. "Care to explain?"

No breathing.

Suddenly the Fearling's mouth opened in a silent scream as Pitch used his power to show him his worst fears. Apparently all kinds of bugs and worms crawled up his body while blood dripped down on him, mixing with moist mud.

It was all illusion.

Maybe not the worst, but Pitch ability was strong enough to make anyone cry out to end their pitiful life.

"My Lord, we are one week behind schedule, because we stumbled across Jack Frost and some chick, who injured one of our men, who was the only one able to naviga-"

In one swift movement Pitch formed a scythe out of black sand with his free hand and beheaded the one speaking, his head falling to the ground while Pitch still held up the other Fearling, who squeezed his eyes shut.

Monkey chuckled.

Beheading Fearlings won't kill them.. It's sand after all, but they would be immobile for a few hours straight.

Pitch let out a dark laugh. "Jack Frost?" He tilted his head to the other Fearlings. "Jack Frost stopped you?" His laugh grew louder.

After his laughs died down he jerked the Fearling across the room against the wall, earning him a loud groan. "You all-" He pointed his finger at the Fearlings. "needed one week? One week? Because _Jack Frost _appeared?"

No answer.

"How weak."

And slowly Pitch raised his hand with a look of concentration on his face, while shouts echoed through the room.

_"No."_

_"Stop!"_

_"We will improve!"_

_"You can't-"_

_"Mercy!"_

Pitch ignored the shouts and turned his palm up, so his long index finger could curl up. Black sand swiveled around the Fearlings, trapping them. They all tried fanatically to escape, but failed.

Pitch then clenched his fist and the sand crushed them into a tiny black ball, floating in the air.

Silence.

"Much better." Pitch said and marched up to the floating ball of sand and with both of his hands he brought it to his mouth, tilting his head back and swallowing the sand. He dropped his hands and slowly opened his eyes, facing the ceiling.

"Monkey, I want to know what Jack's up to so far away from Ar'Kit." Pitch said and Monkey rushed out of the room to get the needed information.

Pitch lips curled up. "And I do want to know what's up with that _chick _they talked about." Then he chuckled, which ended in a full-blown laughter.

..

.

Bunny stared for the longest time at Jack's slender figure in front of the window. He was shocked.

The Duke cared for someone besides him?

"May I know the reason for this?" Bunny knew it wasn't good to pry any further, but all the years he's spend with Jack, he's never seen him so.. protective over a mere slave. Not that Bunny saw Toothiana as such, but for Jack it was always the same with female slaves.

Go.

Get her.

Screw her senseless.

Dump her.

So why the change?

"You're in no position to ask questions. You received orders, you obey. It's that simple." Jack said with no apparent emotions in his deep voice. Bunny saw frost slowly decorating the window from the bottom up.

Bunny looked back up. "You know she won't listen to me."

Jack's eye twitched. "Of course not! But it's your job to make her leave this fucking planet!"

_'Now he's back being the ever-grumpy Duke' _Bunny thought and stood. "This will be fun." Sarcasm.

"What a coincidence." Jack snarled. "How much fun it would be to throw your head at 200 mph into a nice, solid stone. Or a building. Tell me, doesn't that sound like _fun _to you?"

Bunny shook his head at Jack's remark, exited the room and the door shut with a click.

Jack pinched the back of his nose. Bunny was right.

She wouldn't leave.

And the most disturbing part of it was, that he - deep down - didn't want her to leave. He only wanted her out of harm's way, when Pitch arrived.

Jack looked at the now completely frozen window and clenched his teeth.

Those damn feelings.

He thought he could control them..

..

.

The room Tooth was in was lit by a large, bright light – the lab under district 1, where the stone palace was. A hidden technological beauty.

Her eyes instantly shone at the assortment of gadgets and trinkets that was in front of her.

A few people, perhaps fifteen in this division, sat in front of computers and typed, chatted and shot her a few glances. Tooth heard a few short gasps and some words like c_hikyuu, _which meant Earthling. How she knew? The King said it to her and she asked Bunny what it meant. **(chikyuu is japanese)**

Altogether there were twenty divisions, subdivided in special units. Meaning that each division had a special task for each district, inventing stuff for the needs in each district, like energy or medicine.

It's.. well-matched.

..

Tooth needed the blueprint, no matter what.

And Jack being the one in possession of it wasn't helping either. It wasn't like she could march up to him and grab it. It would end like the last time. In a kis-

Tooth shook her head to get rid of this thought. It was always her; always her to make the first move; always the first one to crash her lips onto his.

It angered her and she threw the tool across the room, which made a horrible _cling_ sound. The hummingbird flew up from her shoulder in shock.

"Asshole!"

"I hope you don't mean me." A voice behind her chuckled and Tooth turned around in her chair to face Flynn wide eyed.

"N- No! I- I didn't.. you-"

Flynn held up a finger to hush her and laughed. "Hey! No problem."

Tooth nervously clutched the edge of her chair as Flynn walked over to the tool. "How are you doing?" He asked as he hoisted the tool up and held it out to her.

Tooth took it and looked at her underarm, where the fading mark was and shrugged. "I feel exhausted, but otherwise good."

"Good." He smiled. "So, what are you doing?"

Tooth automatically turned all scientific. "I try to build a device."

"A device?"

Tooth nodded. "Back on Ar'Kit I had a device on my ankle, which controlled the gravity on my body. You know.. so no slave could run away." Tooth took a shaky intake of air and looked Flynn in the eyes. "Since I'm here, I drew blueprints, calculated frequencies and calibrated energy."

Flynn looked slightly taken aback and waved a hand to show her, that she should explain further.

"I want to build a similar device to control the gravity too, but with a limit to it."

Flynn's eyes lit up. "Because you want to use it for-" He stopped and looked at her with excitement.

Tooth smiled. "Once it's harder to move, you build up strength to withstand it."

"And you're getting stronger."

"Faster than under normal conditions." Tooth finished and Flynn let out a laugh. The bird chirped and flew on top of Tooth's head, holding her head with her hands, smiling.

"Th- That's fantastic! This will be a huge impact! In a good way!" He rambled on about how this would change the universe etc. After he calmed down he faced Tooth with a look of sympathy while she was building again.

"How can you be a slave?"

Tooth stopped at his question. She slowly looked at him, greyish skin, brown eyes, brown hair, white lab coat and hands in his pockets. He had a look of genuine curiosity and Tooth couldn't help but feel safe telling him.

"I- I crash landed, got caught and enslaved." She admitted and looked back at her prototype, cables hanging out of it.

"How come?"

Tooth let out a deep sigh. "I- I can't. I thought that I could help, that I _can _help. I guess I was wrong. Now.. Who would hear out a slave? A female one, in addition." She chuckled humorless.

"I would hear you out." Flynn simply said and Tooth tilted his head to the side to look at him again. "I may not know you, but I can tell you don't deserve to be a slave."

"Hn." Tooth shrugged. "There's nothing I can do about it."

Flynn looked at her. "I read so much about birds." The bird chirped and flew up to Flynn, landing on his shoulder and tilting its head to his face in confusion.

Tooth looked equally confused. "Birds?"

He nodded. "Our planet is just stone and mud. No animals. I scanned a few planets around here tough. You know what? You're like a bird."

Tooth didn't really want to have such a conversation with him. She was tired and she had to think about how to get the blueprint back from Jack.

"A bird has a mind of its own. Sometimes they fly far away from home, sometimes not. Just like you."

Tooth kept her eyes on the floor.

"You just landed by coincident on Ar'Kit. Now you may be caged, but this doesn't mean they can stop you from growing into a marvelous bird."

Tooth's eyes glanced over as she remembered something.

_'..rd i.. age.'_

_Huh?_

_'When wi.. co..'_

_Tooth's eyes fluttered open._

"A bird in the cage." She gasped and Flynn nodded.

"You're about to invent something which will change the whole universe. You may have seen and heard things a girl your age shouldn't, but here you are, trying to help. Even though you're caged."

For a short moment she felt proud of herself, but her face fell. "No, I'm not helping. If that-" She pointed to the prototype in front of her. "Gets into the hands of evil.. I don't know what will happen, but it will be all my fault."

Flynn placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "Every living person can decide what they'll do. If it's good or bad, no one knows. It's not your fault, if someone uses a tool-" He grabbed the tool out from Tooth's hand. "To hurt others." With that he threw the tool to another man in a coat a few feet away. The man groaned in pain and stomped his feet at the ground, demanding to know who threw that.

Tooth laughed and Flynn smiled. "See? The man, who invented the tool, didn't want people to use it to hurt each other, yet I did it." Then he chuckled. "You know, there was once a girl, who used a pan to hurt me."

"A pan?" Tooth questioned amused.

"Yes." Flynn smiled fondly. "It was the first time a girl broke my smoulder. She wasn't like all the other girls."

Tooth smiled up at him. "You love her?"

Flynn looked confused. "Love?"

Tooth sighed. "Don't tell me no one knows the meaning of love.."

"I read about it. It's a very complex thing, right?"

Tooth nodded.

"Intimacy, passion and commitment.. If I studied it right, I think the word _shurja _may be the one closest to its meaning."

"_Shurja_?"

Flynn nodded. "You know, most humanoid races and animals are driven by primal urges. Drinking, sleeping, eating.. and socializing. This socializing is expressed differently throughout the universe. If we, _Gribdurza's_, feel very addicted to someone, we say _shurja_ to him or her, because.. well I'm not good in explaining this, but simplified it means you want to spend the rest of your life with the person you said it to."

_'Ok, it's a lot like love..' _A thought flashed through her mind. "Do you know, how it is.. with the people from.. Ar'Kit?"

Flynn looked at her funny and Tooth felt her face heat up at his stare. "I- I'm j-just curious." She added and Flynn ruffled her long brown hair.

"This so called love.. do you feel it with Jack?"

Tooth closed her mouth and thought about it. They were together for merely a week now. Sure, it wasn't love. But she couldn't deny the attraction she had towards him anymore. She wasn't able to convince herself, that she would be better off without him. It was like a spell. Not only his looks, but his.. character seemed to sire her, once she got behind the thick wall, which caged his emotions.

Jack always has something new in store for her..

"N- No." She stuttered and Flynn flashed her a lopsided grin. "You know Jack? Because you don't address him properly."

Flynn laughed. "Of course I know him. He came here with his father a few years ago. He's very grumpy and stoic, but I think there's more to him. After they visited, I went with King Durza to a ball they held for Jack back then. I saw him around his mother. He acts so differently now.. I don't know, if it's because his mother died, but I think once you get to the bottom of that, you'll understand."

At that Tooth knitted her brows. She never knew her mother and she didn't turn out like Jack.

She wasn't grumpy.

Yet he was alone from the very beginning; or from the point on his mother died. No one told him how to handle his emotions in this universe full of violence and war; no one told him that showing feelings isn't something weak.

So much she knew.

"A ball for Jack?" Tooth questioned after rethinking what Flynn just said.

"Yes, for his.. wait." He said and walked over to a computer, typing furiously. Then a word appeared on the screen, which her heart skipped a beat to.

"I searched for a word describing what Jack's ball was about and switched it to English. I hope it's right?" Flynn asked.

Tooth's mouth opened and closed, her heart raced and her breathing increased.

"Hey, you ok?" He asked concerned and Tooth held up her hand in warning.

"I- Is this re-eal?" She swallowed hard and Flynn tilted his head.

"Here on Durza we don't do this, but I guess by your reaction it must be false." Flynn knitted his eyebrows and turned around to type something into the computer, but Tooth held his wrist to stop him.

"You said you say _shurja _here on Durza."

Flynn slowly turned around to face her. "Yes."

"T- That you want to spend.. the rest of your.. whole life with this person?"

"..Yes?"

"That word-" She pointed a shaky finger at the screen. "Means that Jack-"

"Toothiana!" A man's voice yelled from behind the doors and Tooth stopped to look at the door, where Bunny entered.

She breathed out, realizing she'd held her breath for a while now. Flynn turned around and smiled at the sight of Bunny.

"Oh, hello Bunny!" He said happily.

Tooth turned her chair in a way so that she could reach behind and shut off the computer, before Bunny could see the word Flynn translated for her.

"Hey, what's up?" She tried to cover her anxiousness behind her laid-back attitude, but Bunny sensed something was up. Deciding he would ask her later about it, he walked over to her.

"We have to talk." He said, shifting his eyes to Flynn. "Alone."

"O-Okay?" Tooth asked more than answered and stood to follow Bunny out of the room.

"Toothiana?" Flynn's voice echoed through her mind and she turned around. "I will save your prototype and your blueprints somewhere no one will find them." He winked and added : "I'll look after this little bird for you, too." Said bird chirped happily while it sat on his shoulder.

Tooth smiled.

"Thanks." With that she stepped out of the room and faced Bunny, who looked concerned. "Bunny, everything alright?"

After the door shut down behind her he sighed deeply. "Yeah, but you have to trust me with what I'm about to tell you."

Tooth simply nodded.

"We'll leave this planet." Bunny pointed out.

Smooth.

"What?" Tooth raised her brows.

"Pitch."

Only one word and Tooth's stomach was in knots. Pitch? Here? "Will- Will he- come? Here?" She asked and pointed a finger down at the ground.

Bunny looked down. "Yes. He will arrive next week. So we will leave this planet for reasons of safety." He let out the part where Jack specifically voiced the safety of her. Bunny wasn't sure why Jack would do this, so why telling her when he himself didn't know an answer to that either?

It would only confuse her further.

"But where to? Jack wanted to train!" Tooth exclaimed. "I- I drew blueprints for different devices and stuff to help him getting stronger! W- We can't just leave now! I have to do this!"

Not only for him, but for her too.

"You did?" Bunny asked now confused, why she would do this when five hours back she was on the brink of death.

"My head hurt and my hands are sore! Of course I did! We can't leave!"

_'And I told him she won't leave, but did he listen?...' _Bunny's head hung. "Jack will stay here."

Tooth took a step back. "He will WHAT?"

Bunny looked her in the eyes, seeing her shock and.. was that hurt? Fear? "Jack told me to leave this planet with you. He will deal with Pitch alone."

Tooth laughed bitterly. "Ha! I don't think so." She wanted to sidestep Bunny and he grabbed her upper arm to stop her, but she quickly drew her arm back.

"I won't leave!" She yelled and pointed a finger at Bunny. "Where is he?!"

Bunny didn't answer at first, remembering that Jack didn't want to see her until he wishes.

"Doesn't it bother you that you're on the sideline?"

Her quiet question caught him off guard and he looked at her, arms crossing. "What do you mean?"

"Always sent away to missions, while the high and mighty Jokul Frosti tries to defend his planet with unreasonable methods, or whatever. And now you're here, playing babysitter?"

"I-"

"No." She held up her finger to hush him. "Don't start. What I'm saying is.." She looked him dead in the eyes. "We can play a bigger part in this."

Bunny simply looked at her in shock.

Tooth walked in front of him. "I'm in the labs for a reason, Bunny. I- I can make weapons, for Jack.. and for you and me, who doesn't have special powers. We can get stronger and one day, Bunny-" She touched his, once bare but tanned arm. "One day, we can change things for the better."

Bunny smiled sadly. "How can we possibly do that? We're three persons, we need more. A lot more."

Tooth smirked. "There are so much planets out there, who want Pitch away. Jack isn't one to _politely_ convince other planets to join a war, but others can. My father for example." A pang in her chest by the mention of her father and she grabbed the fabric of her shirt.

Bunny just shot her grin, knowing it was just a daydream of a girl. There was no way they could change it, it was impossible.

The war was led by power-hungry, corrupt leaders, wishing for more influence. Or even wishing to rule the universe after Pitch resigned.

A simple doom loop.

But something about her words flared up his hope.

Hope..

Such a fragile feeling.

"So, where is Jack?" She smiled at him and drew her arm back.

Bunny knew he couldn't change her mind now, so he told her. "Training." He said and Tooth immediately walked away. "But he doesn't want to see you.." He mumbled the last part as she rounded a corner and he leaned against the wall, sighing deeply.

..

.

Determination set it. Pitch is coming. So what? She'll make plans to make his stay as horrible as possible.

And no one, not Bunny and not Jack, would stop her in this.

Especially Jack.. She thought about what Flynn revealed to her about Jack only a few minutes ago. She gritted her teeth and stomped up the stairs to get to Jack's training room.

..

.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Tooth was beyond pissed and slammed the door open to the training rooms.

Jack didn't even stir and proceed in his kata, fighting off fictional enemies. _'I didn't want to see her, what was so difficult to understand ,Bunny?!'_

"I do know I am the Duke, while you are a slave." He watched her out of the corner of his eye.

"Pff! And why would the Duke send his slave away?" Tooth raised her hands to her hips, for once completely unaware of Jack's bare chest. Red tinted the edge of her vision and she gritted her teeth.

"I do not have to explain myself to you."

She pointed a finger at him. "And you can not decide where I have to go!"

Jack stopped in his tracks, his back faced her. "Pitch is coming."

"I know!"

"Then leave!" Jack suddenly yelled and faced her. "Leave this planet! Go home!"

Tooth's eyes widened. "W- What?"

Jack walked up to her and stopped at arm's length in front of her. "Leave! I don't want you here!"

Now Tooth felt a slight pang in her heart and her face fell. She took a step back, feeling kinda hurt, and raised her arms in defeat. "Why?" Tears started to form, but she blinked them away.

"Pitch is coming. I don't want you here." Jack said and he felt taken aback by those words. His eyes glance over in silent memory.

"I don't want you at all." He said, repeating words someone once spoke. "It's troublesome."

Bafflement soon turned in rage.

Troublesome? Really? So he thought she was troublesome? She was willing to build things for him to get stronger! But SHE was troublesome?

Traveling through space with her and sending her off into a jungle alone the last time, which ended in her nearly dying..

Always invading her personal space and playing sick mind games with her..

On top of that she did already told him she wouldn't leave him!

Yet SHE was troublesome!?

That was too much.

She stomped her feet and lunged forward, punching him against his chest. Tooth didn't even stop as her hands were already sore. For her it was like his chest was out of cement.

"I'M TROUBLESOME?!" She punched his chest with her left fist.

"Relax!" Jack knew she needed to let out her anger, but he could only provide being a living punchbag for so long.

It wasn't that she hurt him with her punching; in fact, it felt like a fly flew against him.

"YOU DON'T WANT ME HERE?!" She punched his chest with her right fist.

"Stop it!"

"PITCH IS COMING! OH, HIDE UNDER YOUR BED, WIMP!"

"_Toothiana!_"

"BUT _I'M_ TROUBLESOME! ME! ME, WHO WANTS TO HELP _YOU_!"

She managed to punch him in his face with her elbow as she constantly lost it. She let him go, walked over to the next wall and punched against the cold stone, slammed herself against it and screamed at the top of her lungs.

With a certain information from Flynn she screamed: "I HATE YOU!"

_'Good, it makes things easier when you hate me'_ Jack thought and walked over to her, grabbing her arm firmly and holding her at arm's length, stopping her attempts to harm herself further.

Where was the reason in sending her away for safety, if she hurt herself here?

"I HATE YOU SO MUCH!"

He grabbed her face with his hands and she tried to shrug him off by using her hands, but his grip was firm.

"Look at me." He ordered.

Tooth growled and tried again to wriggle out of his grasp, but he tucked at her head, so she had to look at him.

Their eyes connected.

"Now, snap out of it." He said gently.

Tooth's knees buckled and she threatened to fall, but Jack grabbed her shaking form and descended with her, so he was on his knees while she sat in between them.

"_Shhh_." He soothed and grabbed her under arm, looking at the mark. It wasn't fully away, but it was still there. _'That's why she overreacted'_

Tooth slowly calmed down and closed her eyes, leaning forward. As her forehead made contact with his bare chest she sighed.

Little by little she remembered what just happened and realized where her head was.

"Better?"

Tooth swallowed.

What. The. Hell. Happened? She couldn't remember.

Jack looked down at her face and he flinched. There was that evil gut-wrenching feeling, again. Like he did something wrong..

He didn't want to get used to it.

Tooth was more than embarrassed from their closeness and slowly picked herself up before sending him a fake smile. "Sorry."

Jack wasn't stupid. Her eyes told him something was off, so she could fake-smile all day, but he would always know, whether it was real or not.

Not that he cared.

He stood and took her hand, turning it around. He slowly run his fingers over her sore knuckles, which earned him a low groan in pain from her. He looked at her through his white bangs. "You surely gave everything back punching me, huh?"

She punched him?

He saw, that she was tired. She didn't look at him, more like she was in trance.

"I-" Tooth began, but stopped and shot him a last glance, before rushing out of the room.

Jack didn't look after her and her long hair flowing behind her as she ran was the last thing he saw.

Jack's hands slowly fell to his sides and he turned his head around to look at the door, which was slammed shut behind her.

"I don't like it when she leaves me behind like a douche bag." He mumbled and remembered her sudden leave back in the ship after their kiss.

Her reaction was caused by the mark, that he knew.

Troublesome..

The triggering word he said to her.. One word, which he didn't even mean to say was the reason she reacted like this.

..

.

Tooth barricaded the door to Jack's and her room with a chair and sat on the couch, crying. If Jack wanted to come in, he would, but the barricade gave her some kind of control for the time being.

Her whole body trembled and she hugged her knees to her chest, resting her head on top of them.

Her crying only continued as she could smell Jack's scent in the room. A mix between cinnamon, orange and.. sandalwood? Yeah, something in between, but oh so alluring.

She stood up and paced the room nearly in a hysteric state. Why did Flynn has to show her what Jack's ball was about?

She knew it wasn't her business, but why the hell would Jack .. kiss her, when-

Tooth shook her head to get rid of the thought. She couldn't find a way to regulate her frantic heartbeat. It felt like a freaking heart attack!

"What's happening?" She mumbled as she clutched the fabric at her chest.

She moved over to the door, knowing that she needed to get to Flynn.. to anyone. She needed help.

Tooth grabbed the chair and wanted to move it over, but her hands slipped.

She trembled too much to grab something properly.

She tried again, but it was no use.

New tears formed in the pit of her eyes.

"Oh god." She mumbled. Her state only worsened as the seconds passed by. Slowly she leaned her back against the wall next to the door and slid down, trying to breathe normally.

But her thoughts unwillingly drifted to the events only ten minutes ago.

She knew from the start, that she was a burden to him.

..

.

_"You're lying." She stumbled over her words and tried to bring the splinter back to his throat, but his hold was too strong. "I'm a burden and have to die. Whether it's now or in fity years, it's absolute."_

..

.

Yes, she knew it from the very beginning, but he lulled her into safety.

..

.

_"____Lu'ha ____**(Little One)**____,__I'm not going to kill you. Never." Jack traced his hand through her long damp hair to the back of her neck._

..

.

That little bastard..

..

.

Jack was on his way to his room with a bad feeling. He rubbed his temples and suppressed a groan.

He was tired thinking of what was currently in his head.

How can he possibly face Pitch with her by his side?

She was a weak point. She could be used against them.

Against him..

She was just that: A weakness. She would be much safer away from all this, not being a target for whatever Pitch might have planned.

The only option he had was to leave her. If she would forgive him or not-

Wait.

Jack's eyes grew wide. Did he just thought about, if she would _forgive _him?

He shook his head, dismissing the thought quickly.

That's when he heard shuffling behind the door to his room. He tried to open the door, but something hindered him.

"What?" He mumbled and eyed the door warily. With a powerful kick the door opened with a loud _crack. _

Jack looked into the room, trying to figure out what might be in there (spy, etc.), ready to- he stopped briefly as he saw a sitting figure with brown hair next to the door and.

"Woman?" He asked and she snapped her head at him. Apparently she didn't focus on her surroundings.

He saw her trembling with wide eyes, hand to her chest and her rapid breathing.

Without thinking he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, all while looking at her.

He crouched down and lifted her chin with his finger. "Relax, _Toothiana._" He said gently as to not fluster her more and took her hand from her chest and lay it on his own.

He hoped she would relax, when she felt his own calm but steady heartbeat.

Then he hoisted her up bridal style and walked through the room and around the broken chair.

Her heart pounding like mad worried him.

_Geez_, this site of her did make him feel like someone with reasonable morals.. Like being back with _ka'hat __**(sister)**_.. So he did the same with the woman in his arms like he did back then with _her._

He opened the door to his bedroom and walked to the bed, slowly lowering him with her in his lap, rocking her back and forth slightly while her hand remained on his chest.

Minuted passed by with them hearing loud thunders now and then, but nothing changed.

Jack stood and lay her on the bed, then he turned swiftly around and walked to the bathroom, grabbing a glass and filled it with water.

He returned and lifted her upper body to sit behind her on the bed, bringing the glass to her lips, since he was sure she couldn't hold the glass with all her trembling.

"Drink." He said quietly and she opened her mouth a little, taking a few swigs of the cold liquid.

Tooth wasn't thirsty, but she wasn't able to defy.

Jack set the glass onto the ground and shifted slightly sideways, so he could place her hand against his chest again.

He heard her heartbeat slowing down to normal. Her breathing wasn't rapid anymore and her eyelids nearly dropped in exhaustion, resting her head in the crook of his neck.

"You certainly can wear somebody out.." Jack whispered into her hair.

A small smile formed on her face.

"You alright?" He asked.

Tooth opened her eyes and drew back her hand from his chest ashamed, followed by her whole body. She leaned against the bedhead with a good distance between both of them.

Jack chuckled. "At other times you weren't so shy."

Tooth narrowed her eyes. "I just nearly died, so sorry when I'm not in the mood for cuddling."

Something dropped from his shoulder and he felt relieved. Jack smiled. "There she is."

Tooth just looked down at her hands in her lap, avoiding eye-contact.

"You will leave nontheless."

Tooth's eyes snapped at him. His eyes were dull again; no emotions. Why did he always shut them off?

She was about to answer him, when he held up a hand.

"Don't you dare think I will let you get away."

Now Tooth was confused and knitted her brows. "What do you mean?"

"I mean-" He said and shifted closer to her, raising his hand to her cheek. "You may leave now, but you won't escape me. I told you already."

Her heart skipped a beat.

"I will come for you." He added and drew back his hand and stood to walk away, but Tooth opened her mouth.

"You know, no one is innocent in war."

Jack stopped and looked back at her.

She stood too, dusting of her clothes. "You said I should leave. Bunny said 'for reasons of safety'." She air quoted. "But guess what?" She smiled at him sadly. "I spent my whole life either in the labs or training with the soldiers back home. That was my normal, _safe_ life." She shook her head and laughed humorless. "Now normal life for me means getting nearly killed frequently."

Jack meanwhile walked over to her, grabbing her face gently with his cold hands. "Then why don't go back home?" He asked before adding: "For now."

"As you said before, innocent people tend to think they're more worthy." She repeated his words. "But I'm in no way innocent anymore."

Jack stared at her.

"I told you, I won't leave you. I- I was in the labs one hour ago and made plans to build some things for you to get stronger. How can I be innocent, helping you or even staying in the same room with you?"

That was indeed a profound question.

The little rabbit may have run all the way to escape her wolf, but at the end of the day she clung to him like a save harbor in a storm.

"Do you think I will go to hell for that?" Her eyes bore into his. Thinking rational, there was a chance that, once this was all over, Jack would be his cocky self and purge and destroy other planets.

Out of fun maybe?

But Tooth couldn't imagine this, so she didn't voice her thoughts about that.

"If you do, then there certainly is no hope for me." Jack deadpanned.

Deadlock.

"I-" She began. "I'm scared."

Jack's stomach dropped at her words.

"I don't want to be alone. I'm afraid of getting lost.. all alone without you in this cruel universe. At the end of the day, you always keep me save."

Jack didn't move a muscle.

She looked up at him. "This is _your _life." With that she leaned into one of his cold, soothing hands on her cheeks. "I know you have to.. do things the way you do them. But please.. Let me stay here with you. Let me help you dealing with your life."

Jack snarled and let his arms fall to his sides. "Why sould I?"

"Don't do it again, Jack!" She nearly yelled, all exhaustion forgotten. "Don't shut me out! For once, don't hide your feelings behind your wall, please!"

Jack stared at her coldly and for good measure he bared his white teeth and she saw the slightly sharper canine teeth. "Feelings are for weaklings. They only interfere with your rational thinking." He said dangerously soft.

"You don't want me to leave, right?"

"Don't assume things, woman."

"Then tell me at least why you don't want me to be here!" She demanded and Jack looked at her in a way, which send shivers up and down her spine.

Like a predator..

"Do not seek for answers."

"Should I tell you?" She began, feeling confident. "No, I'll tell the whole universe." She said and yelled. "Sorry folks, but the mighty Duke Jack cares for another living being! I know it's shocking! Don't mourn over that, but it's the horrifying truth!"

While she spoke Jack grabbed her upper arms and pulled her to him with one tug, so he could say the next words into her ear. "You have one chance to withdraw your stupid remark."

Tooth nearly giggled out loud. She knew by now when to stop with her teasing. Now was not the time. That Jack didn't interrupted her or tried to stop her remark otherwise told her, he was accepting the truth.  
That he cared.  
He could have let her sit on the ground next to the door back then and leave her to – most likely - die, but he was able to snap her out of it.

Heck, he could have just leave her on Alba'na, but he came to get her.

And her heart swelled at the thought of him caring for her. Yet there was that little piece of information.. A little word, which squeezed her heart painfully.

But she wouldn't mention it. It was his business. And she wouldn't let him _that _near her ever again.

The devil inside Jack screamed to dump her with Bunny on a lonely planet. Knock her out cold and shoving her into a spaceship, locking the controls so she couldn't change the course.

But he tried to convince himself that he could keep a wary eye on her, when Pitch arrived. It would give him more control over the situation. And he couldn't deny it anymore.

He didn't want her out of his sight.

"Knock it off, sore loser!" She laughed as he held her at arm's length.

"Are you through?"

"I think.." She grinned up at him. "Now I've sealed my own doom, right?"

His lips curled up into a smirk. "You have no idea, woman. Just wait."

..

.

"So you've invented things?" Jack asked her after they got interrupted from a guard, who brought food, which Tooth needed most urgently.

She didn't answered him.

"Didn't someone told you to not have sex with your food?" He asked her as she constantly moaned in delight as she took bite after bite.

Tooth meanwhile nearly choked on her food and tapped at her chest to get the food down, ignoring the evil smirk of a certain Duke. "What the hell?!"

He rolled his eyes, waving his hand to dismiss the remark. "Here." He said, handing over the blueprint. Her eyes lit up and she wanted to grab it, but he held it out of reach. "Earlier you said you invented things."

"I did." She said proudly, only looking at the slightly crinkled paper.

"What _things_?"

"Well.." Tooth began, going all scientific again. "_Invented_ might be the wrong word." As she received a look of disbelief she hastily added: "I sure build a device already. It's a prototype though, which modifies the gravity on your body. You can decide how strong it will be and when you will train in a higher gravity than normal, you'll get stronger much faster." She grinned at him.

Jack's brow rose up. "And what other things do you have in your mind?"

"You'll see in time." She winked at him as she took another bite. "Oh man, this is so good!"

"Woman."

"I mean, how can something that looks so.. foreign taste so damn good?!"

"Woman!"

"I need to speak to the chef here. That's awesome!"

"_Toothiana_!"

"What?!" She snapped at him.

Jack was briefly stunned. Here she is, acting like a normal girl, who didn't get enslaved or didn't nearly get killed a few times by now. On top of that she's speaking insolent with the Duke of Ar'Kit. She was an entire different story. "You want to stay? I have three conditions."

"Oh." Tooth shuffled in her chair and sat cross-legged with her slave attire being long enough to cover her most private parts. "Go ahead."

"First: You will train."

Tooth knitted her brows. "Why?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Because I say so." He wanted her to be able to at least defend herself if it came down to it. Not that he would let that happen, but it will soothe his nerves knowing she could do some damage.

"Ok, second?"

"You won't interfere with my training. I can't let you slow me down."

Tooth nodded. "Sounds reasonable." That was the point: _Him_ getting stronger, so she totally understood that.

"And three-" He began and held eye-contact with her. "You have to listen to me. Whatever it is, you won't doubt me. If I say jump, you will jump immediately."

"Jack." She began. "I won't do anything.. You know.. considering you being a pervert."

Jack on the other hand was firstly shocked, that she accepted this so easily, but he wouldn't complain. Then he smirked. "Oh, we will see, _Lu'ha." _He said seductively.

Tooth shook her head, feeling too tired to argue back. "When do we start?"

"How about now?" He stood from his chair and came closer to her with that smug look of his.

Tooth's eyes widened. "With the training I mean." She squeaked hastily, but he came closer and closer. She pushed herself further into her chair, since he grabbed each side of the armrests, so there was no way out.

He thought for a moment. "Considering it being evening now.. Tomorrow. Early." He whispered and Tooth looked to the side, trying hard to control the heat in her face. "So go and get some sleep, woman." With that he threw the blueprint in her lap and stepped back, going back to his chair.

Tooth immediately stood and walked over to the huge couch, dropping on it and snuggling into a blanket, hiding herself from him. She hugged the blueprint to her chest, fearing she would lose it again.

The hair at the back of her neck stood on their ends and Tooth sensed Jack's eyes on her. It was creepy, but Tooth just snuggled deeper into the blanket.

Jack indeed watched her, but his intentions were – for once – not creepy. No, he just wasn't sure, if it was the right choice letting her stay here.

The moment she said those words to him - that he cared for another living being - he knew she was right in some ways.

A primal urge overcame him and he growled low in his throat.

_**Mine.**_

When he had seen her fighting against the Fearling back on Alba'na and losing.. intense rage had build up in him. The thought of anyone else's hands on her made him want to crush something. That's why he wanted her to train.

He was still angry, that she cheated by breaking his promise being infected with a fatal disease.

Jack didn't lie to the Fearling when he said, that she would die by _his_ hands alone. It was a promise likewise: She wouldn't escape him.

_'Pitch better be on his guard..'_ Jack thought and walked to his bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

Somehow his bed felt empty with someone missing..

..

.

Tooth meanwhile thought about Jack; how he saved her more than once, causing a drastic shift in how she thought about him.

She wasn't afraid of being alone with him anymore.

She was afraid of being alone in this cruel universe _without_ him.

She heard a door being slammed shut and smiled. Typical Jack..

Tomorrow will be interesting. She had to pay Flynn a visit, cause her wrists hurt like hell from punching Jack.

A pang in her chest.

**_Engagement._**

That word Flynn translated for her before Bunny stormed into the labs.

_'No close encounters anymore.' _With that in mind she drifted off into sleep.

..

.

"Give me your wrist." Tooth said and Jack didn't move. She sighed and grabbed it and strapped a thin white band around it.

Jack raised his hand and eyed the thing. "And what exactly does it do now?"

"This-" She pointed to the device on his hand. "Is a mini computer. Don't touch-"

Too late. Jack moved his hands over it and accidentally started it.

A screen materialized over the device and Tooth wanted to laugh at Jack's awe-struck expression.

"Here-" She said, moving to his side to have a good look at the screen. "There you see your personal stats like height and weight. It's important so it can compute the effects of higher gravity, because your mass will increase once you go higher." She explained. "Let me show you."

With that she strapped her own device on her wrist and activated it. Good thing that Flynn helped her getting those ready for them so fast and that she could use the liquid to heal her sore wrists. "Here. I'm 5'4 feet tall and weigh 100 pounds."

_'Geez, I have to eat more.'_

"I used Earth's gravity as a starting point, since it's also the same as Durza's. Now, when I switch to two time's Earth's gravity-" She pressed a button at the screen and instantly felt the pressure. "I weight 200 pounds; twice as much. If I would go to three time's Earth's gravity, I would weight 300 pounds. Simple, right?"

Jack nodded.

"So you are-" She looked at his screen. "6'1 feet tall and weigh 165 pounds."

_'Wow, I wonder where he hides his weight. He is kinda skinny. Or he is just made up of muscles..' _Tooth blushed as she remembered punching his rock hard chest.

She coughed. "Well, Ar'Kit is two time's Earth's gravity, so you should be used to that. I'll switch to three time's. Be prepared." She told him and pressed a button.

Jack didn't even faltered.

"Is that all you got?" He shot her a smirk.

Tooth let out a _humpf. "_You can adjust the gravity yourself now."

He did and jumped up and down a few times. "Ok, that will do."

Tooth walked over and looked at his screen. Her eyes nearly popped out of her sockets. "Seven time's?!"

"Yep." Jack popped the 'p' and looked at her. "Now I weight 1155 pounds."

Tooth was shocked. How can someone possibly be this strong? Jack surely could beat Pitch with a snap of his fingers.

But she had to think in a bigger dimension.

She wasn't home, where it was impossible to not get crushed under this weight.

"You're good at mental arithmetic, huh?" She asked to hide her astonishment.

"I'm not only good at arithmetic, _Lu'ha." _He said smugly and Tooth blushed. "Let's begin." Jack said and pressed a button on the screen, so it vanished and won't get in the way.

He got into a standing meditation pose, cleared his thoughts and breathed deeply. "Try to land a punch on me, woman." He dared to offer.

"You don't have to tell me twice, mister." She said and cracked her knuckles.

Jack smirked.

..

.

The next five hours were the worst five hours in Tooth's life.

First of they stretched and warmed up.

Then Jack drilled her, yelled orders or criticisms at her, while introducing her to a world of pain and torture. _He_ didn't hurt her, because he stayed defensive, wanting to study her movement.

Tooth struggled at two time's gravity, sweating under the pressure. His training was harsh, even brutal, but bearable.

He pushed her harder, but not to the point of collapsing, although Tooth expected exactly that.

Jack seemed to know when to stop before she indeed collapsed. Tooth didn't have a problem with that, since she couldn't complain, being far to exhausted and at the end of the session she was able to walk.

So no complaining.

"I'm totally spent, Jack." Tooth said and let herself fall on her back. Her whole body trembled to the sudden relief as she turned off the device. "I can hardly move." She panted heavily.

"Showing how much of a weakling you are." Jack said, but believed her and wasn't surprised. For her height and her being a woman, she wasn't that weak, but he shook his head in disapproval nonetheless. "We're done now. Go have a shower, woman."

She didn't respond, nor moved.

"So?" Jack asked impatient.

"I want to sleep." Tooth rolled over, so her back faced him. "I'm too tired to get up."

Jack's eye twitched.

He marched up to her slumped form and hoisted her up in his arms.

"Hey! Let me down!" Tooth exclaimed, but Jack kicked the door open.

"Condition number two: Don't interfere with my training." He deadpanned and let go of her.

"Argh!" Tooth fell to the ground. "You're such a jerk, Jack!" She yelled and got up.

Jack smirked, closing the door before she could come after him. If she weren't truly able to walk and didn't get back up then, he wouldn't have left her vulnerable figure on the floor by herself.

You never know, what creeped around in a palace.

"Go have a shower now!" She heard through the doors.

Surprisingly Tooth grinned. "I kinda deserved that, huh?" She mumbled to herself and walked towards Jack's and her room.

..

.

The days passed.

Five hours of training each day for Tooth, ten for Jack.

Bunny wasn't too fond of the idea of her being around Pitch, but couldn't change Jack's or Tooth's mind. He was back on his mission, but would be back on the fateful day. King Jokul Frosti didn't know, that Bunny was with Jack.

After Tooth's training she walked to the labs, fine-tuning something or just relax. She was tired after each session, but it was worth it. And she could successfully escape Jack, chaining the e-word to the prison of her mind.

Jack himself was too focused to get stronger, but that didn't stop him from ordering her to eat more, since she needed all of her strength she can get, when Pitch would come.

Another day passed.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow was the day of Pitch's arrival.

And Tooth was more than ready to face him with her improvement in training and her inventions.

..

.

"Now, change to two time's gravity." Jack ordered after their last session.

"Why~ Ok." She shrugged as she saw that _'really?!'_ look on his face. She pressed the button and prepared herself for the pressure – which never came.

She looked down at her device, tapping on it. "Funny. Guess I overdid it." She mumbled. "Something must be wrong. Did I break it?" She asked and looked at Jack, who smirked.

"I don't think it's broken." He simply said.

Tooth knitted her brows and looked down. "This doesn't feel like two time's.."

"For once, use that oh so genius brain of yours." He ordered annoyed.

It dawned on her. "You-" She said in astonishment.

Jack grinned. "Yes, my training." He winked.

Tooth looked between Jack and the device a few times. Slowly a huge smile placed itself on her face. "Holy shit! I can't believe it!" She yelled in excitement.

Yesterday Jack trained her in five time's gravity. Now it was only natural to be used to two time's.

"It would have taken me weeks over weeks to get used to that!" She laughed and ran over to Jack, tackling him to the ground in an embrace. "I wouldn't have accomplish that without you, Jack! Thank you!" Tooth said overjoyed and pulled away from his neck to give him a peck on his cheek.

Jack was.. surprised and didn't move.

"Oh!" Tooth cried and backed away, standing up. "I- I'm sorry! I wasn't- thinking!" She rambled embarrassed and covered her mouth with one hand.

_'So much for no close encounters'_ She scolded herself.

Jack just lay on the ground, facing the ceiling. If he wanted to describe his situation, awkward would be a good word.

But this lasted for merely three seconds, when he shifted his whole weight to his shoulders and used the force of his legs to get up.

"Really! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have.." She couldn't even end her sentence.

"Don't be a wimp." Jack said. "Don't apologize. It's a sign of weakness and you were just too excited to think rational. I already told you, that feelings get in the way."

Tooth didn't know what to think. She thought he would yell at her, but this? She crossed a line and he wouldn't do something about it?

Maybe.. Maybe he didn't want her around anymore? So that was the reason he let it slide?

"You're.. not angry?" She asked fearfully.

"If you really think that this kiss, which was a pathetic excuse to what you really can do with that loud mouth of yours, would make me angry, you must have hit your head too hard yesterday when you fell asleep with it on the table." He said amused at the display of emotions on her face.

Tooth's cheeks reddened, but she smiled. "Yeah. Thank you for letting me sleep in a sitting position." Pure sarcasm. "I'm still sore!"

Tooth decided it was about time to learn to control her emotions around him better, so this event wouldn't repeat. She didn't want him to get the wrong idea.

"Weakling." He said mockingly.

"Say that again!" She played along and got into position.

"Whenever you're ready, _weakling._" Jack smirked.

The next hour they trained, while Jack only had to criticize her rarely. Jack knew she wouldn't be strong enough to be a warrior on Ar'Kit, but she was able to defend herself properly.

She just had to use the element of surprise, catching his opponent off guard.

"_They won't know you're '_stronger' _than other women, so you have to use this to your advantage." _

He was proud of her, so for the last session he went easy on her.

..

.

They all gathered outside, the rain drenching them.

King _Fenju, _Flynn and other high personnel were present. _Fenyu _complimented her for her training and how she managed to help in the labs, too. She thanked him shyly and walked over to the Duke.

Jack stood slightly behind _Fenju, _eyes on the sky.

Lightning.

Jack continued to look at the sky. He could feel it. It's something Pitch seemed to carry with him wherever he went.

The feeling that something would go awfully wrong.

Tooth stood behind Jack's left shoulder in her slave attire. She shivered and looked to Flynn, who gave her a reassuring smile. Throughout the week he was there for her and helped her with her inventions.

She smiled sadly back before looking at Jack.

She could make out his silhouette and white damp hair. He wore his proper, royal attire; his light blue cloak flowing in the wind every now and then.

Silence.

"I can't see very far in the dark." She whispered to Jack, leaning closer to him.

"How unpractical. I wonder how you and your race were able to survive this long, lacking those abilities." Jack deadpanned.

"It's not funny." She snapped quietly, feeling yet again lower down on the food chain. "I can't help it."

Tooth could practical cut through the tension with a knife.

Then she heard a low humming sound, indicating the arrival of Pitch's ship, and she strained her eyes at the sky.

"He's here." Bunny said next to her and she nearly screamed.

"_Gosh_! Bunny, don't scare me like that." Tooth whispered harshly, but Bunny only continued looking up.

"I just got here."

"Silence." Jack said harshly and both obeyed.

The sound grew louder. It was Pitch's ship, which appeared behind the clouds, and funnily enough that Durza was a planet without sunlight, the ship was still darker.

It was huge. And when she said huge, she meant _huge. _

It descended, parting the clouds, and Tooth swallowed her oncoming dread. She swiftly took hold of Jack's hand in the dark, not caring if this would break the 'no contact' rule she came up with.

And Jack didn't shook her off. He curled his fingers around hers.

'_Come out from your hiding place from under your bed, Pitch. I have a few surprises for you' _Tooth thought, feeling confident with Jack and Bunny by her side.

* * *

**A/N:  
**___Constructive criticism or just a few nice words - either way - are very appreciated._

___**Please have in mind:** Tooth and Jack doesn't love each other yet. He doesn't even know what that is (He being the uncaring Duke). Both have troubles sorting out their feelings. So don't mistake Jack's 'protectiveness' with romance.  
_

___ I know it might be annoying, but it is an essential part of this story. _

___In - let's say - four to six chapters it'll change. I have evil plans for that *rubs hands while laughing evilly*  
_

___I'm very sorry for any sense-, spelling- or sense mistakes!_

___Stay tuned!_


	13. Angel of Darkness

**Point Of No Return**

**A/N: **

_Yay, another chapter for you! Nearly 14.000 words for you! Have fun with it!  
_

**_Warning: _**_Blood and implied character death! _

_Just saying..  
_

_I listened to: Alex C. feat. Yasmin K. - Angel of Darkness. I switched from this to the Nightcore version to and fro._

* * *

They all stood in the rain and waited impatiently for Pitch's arrival. No one feared the oncoming event, knowing that Pitch would only draw it out and use it against them.

Nobody wanted that.

The spaceship in the dark sky grew larger by the second and Jack felt like he's thrown back in time.

He saw those large brown eyes filled with fear.

But he couldn't help it. How often did he try. How often did he get beat up by his old man for trying. Jack literally pleaded him to retract his promise to _him. _

He thought back to the first time meeting _Pitch.. _how close Jack was to drop his cold, emotionless facade to reveal a more than furious and murderous killer.

What Pitch did to him the last time he was on a mission..

But Jack couldn't change it. He couldn't change anything.

Suddenly he felt pressure on his hand and looked down.

It was_ her_.

His little slave.

_Lu'ha. _

Jack couldn't quiet put his fingers on why he didn't push her away, but he liked it. It was dark and she stood next to him, so no one saw their intertwined hands.

Hot and cold.

Well, more like cold and colder, since he felt her trembling and knew it was due to the harsh wind, heavy rain and low temperature. Her attire didn't do her anything good either, but she has to endure it for now.

So he briefly squeezed her hand, too.

Tooth felt that Jack's tensed up. There must've been something on his mind and with squeezing his hand she wanted to show him partly that she was there.

The other part was to bring him back from his trance, since Pitch's entire ship broke through the clouds by now.

If she had to guess, she would say the ship was.. she couldn't even describe how big his ship was.

It covered the whole first district!

At any rate it was huge and pitch black. A mysterious looking hexagon-like ship. Tooth couldn't see any details.

"How the hell do they want to come _here? _I mean, here is just a residential-only area and he wouldn't.. would he?" She whispered to Jack.

His hair clung to his head due to the rain and he swiftly shook his head to move his white bangs out of his blue eyes. "If it was any other planet, he definitely would. But Durza is a neutral planet. It's neither for, nor against Pitch, therefore there is no reciprocal agreement." He explained.

"A reciprocal agreement?"

Jack nodded.

"Durza doesn't have a confederation with Pitch. So as long Pitch didn't attack one of the allies from Durza.." Bunny interjected and Tooth ended his sentence.

"He has a neutral status and doesn't have to fear to get killed on this ground."

"That doesn't prevent Pitch from trying to win Durza over to his side." Jack said.

"Why?" Tooth asked confused.

Jack just turned his head slightly to her, so she could see his raised eyebrow. "You've been here for over a week now, especially in the labs, and you're seriously wondering why he would do that?"

Ok, point taken. Tooth shrugged. "_Could_ have been something else."

Jack chuckled. "This shows how naïve you are." He turned his head back to watch Pitch's ship slowly descending. "Ar'Kit and Durza are in a confederation."

"So your planet is safe, since Pitch can't attack it, because then Durza would be his enemy. Now it makes sense. I've wondered why he didn't at least try in the past, but I guess-"

"_Toothiana._" Jack said impatiently to stop her rambling and Tooth laughed nervously. After some time Jack opened his mouth. "He won't land."

That confused her.

Jack positioned his staff with his free hand to his left, so he has everything in eyesight, while still holding her hand with his other hand.

Tooth's heart skipped a beat.

He was engaged.

To whom? Was she pretty? How old was she? Was she from Ar'Kit?

Was she the Duchess?

Tooth nearly snorted at her last thought. Of course she has to be the Duchess, so the royal bloodline would stay pure.

But why would Jack behave like this to her, when someone else was waiting for him? At the end was Tooth really just a toy to him?

Another word was thrown at her by her subconscious, which made her dizzy.

_Whore. _

No, no, no!

She didn't sleep with Jack! It was just making out.. more than once.

But the word was more obtrusive in her mind.. more distinct and she couldn't do this any longer.

Tooth withdrew her hand.

..

.

Jack felt the loss of touch, but didn't look back. He didn't know what was wrong, but he couldn't wrack his brain over this in a moment like now.

Just then black sand formed out of thin air in front of them. It swiveled dangerously and thickened, before it exploded from the inside out, revealing round about 20 people.

Or rather: Pitch and his minions.

Almost instantly Tooth felt nauseous and her stomach was in knots due to the sudden adrenaline rush.

And fear.

Yes, she was afraid, but how _couldn't_ she possibly feel like this? She was just a little girl, accidentally stranded on some planet with one wish: To get back home. Safely.

Home.. She really wanted to go home now. She wanted to eat chocolate and all the other common sins.

Now she was in the middle of a war, which to win was nearly impossible.

And now she would add her two cents to it.

..

.

Pitch was creepy.

He was a tall guy. His skin was dull pale-gray, his eyes were a piercing yellow and his hair was styled in slick spikes at the back of his head.

He wore a long, black robe with a v-neck line. As he walked up to them, she saw black pants and black shoes underneath his robe.

Really creepy..

"King _Fenju." _His voice had an accent and sent shivers up and down her spine.

Even his voice was creepy!

"Pitch. It's a pleasure to meet you again." _Fenju _bowed his head slightly and Pitch did the same. Pitch let his eyes roam over the others, until they landed on Jack.

"Hang on. Is that Duke Frost? What a pleasant surprise!" He said happily and Jack smirked.

"Been a long time, Pitch." Jack said without any hint of fear.

Pitch chuckled. "Yes, indeed. What are you doing here all alone? I don't see your father."

"Where's Katherine?" Jack retorted equally amused and Tooth heard Bunny gasp under his breath.

Pitch gritted his teeth, but smiled. "We don't want to make a scene now, do we?"

Jack simply outstretched his left hand with his staff, showing him he won't. A little smirk was still evident on his mouth.

"Ahhh. And that is your little toy?" Pitch asked as he looked at Tooth.

Her heartbeat increased, but she held her chin up. She saw Bunny moving closer to her and was thankful.

"I am no one's toy." Tooth said and looked Pitch dead in the eyes. He seemed taken aback, but shook his head slightly. "I am Toothiana."

He smiled brightly at her. "I'm sorry, _Toothiana_." He purred, but didn't sound like he was sorry and bowed down mockingly.

"Bunny..." Pitch said. Tooth looked between them, sensing something's up by the looks, but Pitch simply shifted to the next people, greeting them.

Ok, that went.. well.

..

.

After they finished the greetings, _Fenju_ invited Pitch to his palace, where a ball would be held for him. Pitch looked thrilled and followed _Fenju_, followed by all the others.

Jack, Bunny and her walked behind all of them.

"Do we have time to fresh up a little before the ball?" Tooth asked and Jack looked at her.

"You want to fresh up for Pitch?" He asked slightly disgusted.

"No!" She yelled, but regained composure almost instantly. "It's just that my clothes are soaked and are uncomfortably heavy." She reasoned.

"She has a point." Bunny said and Tooth smiled.

Jack sighed. "I guess, yeah."

..

.

"It would be rude not to dance, you know." Flynn grinned and held his hand to Tooth.

"But what about your girl?" Tooth saw him dancing with a girl two minutes ago. She was beautiful with her short brown hair and large green eyes, so Tooth didn't want to steal her man's time, knowing she has to be his _shurja_.

"She's dancing with Vladimir. Come on, Mia taught you the dance." Flynn smiled so bright, she couldn't say no.

"I guess I have no choice then." She placed her hand in his and he dragged her over to the floor, where all the other pairs were.

Flynn wrapped his hand around hers as the music started and begun to move in time with the music. Tooth curled her fingers around him and started moving, too.

The dance was quite easy. The most part did the feet, jumping fast up and down and turning them to either side. It was complex, but once you got the hang of it, it was enjoyable, remembering her of tap dancing without the tapping.

Flynn circled around her and held her up by the waist, while she stretched her legs as he spun around before Flynn set her down again.

It wasn't long until Tooth laughed loudly and enjoyed herself for the first time in a long time.

They danced two songs like this, twirling around before none other than Pitch tapped Flynn on the shoulder.

Tooth, who panted slightly, glared at him and she saw Flynn doing the same.

But Flynn couldn't defy him, so he turned around and mouthed that he would have his eyes on her, in case Pitch tried anything funny. She nodded and looked back to Pitch, who offered his hand with a sly smirk.

She took it with hesitation and Pitch pulled her closer. Tooth instinctively put her hand on his shoulder, trying to maintain a healthy distance between them, which wasn't so easy due to his height.

There was that feeling again. The feeling, that something terrible would happen today.

"Let me lead. It is going to look ridiculous, if we both are trying to lead." He chuckled, but Tooth only glared at him. She didn't like it one bit to be lead by him.

They didn't dance the 'traditional' dance from Durza. It was more like waltzing and Pitch spun her around.

"What do you want, Pitch?" She snarled up at him and he raised his hand to his chest in mock hurt, pulling her hand along.

"Can't one dance with a lovely lady?"

"Don't." Tooth cut him off. "Seriously." She warned.

"Very well." He sighed and stretched her out, before she landed against him with her back to his chest. "How come you're a slave for non other than Jack Frost?"

Tooth wanted to throw up. This was nearly too much to take in. The anger, the fear, the adrenaline.. "Duke Frost." She simply corrected him.

"Whatever." He said and spun her around, so she could face him. "So?" He urged.

"I think that's none of your business, _my Lord_." She mocked him and Pitch smirked.

"You know you're quite the dancer." Pitch said smugly and Tooth flinched.

"Do you really think, that Jack has a soul?" He stared at her with an intensity, she almost looked away. "He did so much _bad _things, my dear. Things you can't imagine. IF there's something left of his _pure _soul, do you really think you can rescue him?"

"And do you really think you can play God and decided, which soul can be rescued and which not? Pardon me, but if that's the case, you're mental." Tooth said through gritted teeth. "There's always hope."

Pitch chuckled. "No, I'm not playing God. But I can see how damaged a soul is. Even yours. You saw and committed sins. And how can hope possibly change anything? You can hope all day, even all your life, that you can fly someday. But you won't, it's not possible. Hope is a daydream."

"No, we do things we think are right. We put out heart in them. What we do and sacrifice.. what we _feel_ is what let us fly, Pitch." Tooth retorted.

Pitch smirked. "Well played, Toothiana. But once you realize that Jack isn't the knight in.. not so shining armor, you will know what I mean. Oh, when we speak of the-" Pitch sent her a lopsided grin. "_Devil." _

Tooth looked to where Pitch looked.

Jack.

"Is that longing I see in your eyes, my dear?" Pitch asked her and Tooth turned her head to Pitch.

"As I said before. None of your business. And I would be grateful, if you would be silent from now on." She said without any hint of emotions. Jack would be proud of her.

"As the lady desires." Pitch said and Tooth's stomach turned.

Two minutes later, he let go of her and bowed. "Thanks for the dance, love. Though I doubt you know what it is you are longing for." He said, referring to his remark about Jack.

Tooth gulped and Pitch was away in a matter of seconds, leaving her alone on the dance floor.

Before she could take a single step, someone grabbed her hand from behind and gracefully swung her in a circle, before catching her.

Tooth blinked a few times to focus and was more than happy to see, that she was in Jack's arms. Eww.. that sounded corny, but after the previous encounter with Pitch, she was relieved to be in familiar hands.

..

.

Jack watched her the entire time. There were a few people, who wanted to know about Ar'Kit, his father, money and economy. Jack answered them all politely, lying about the part with his father. It was annoying, but there was no way out as a Duke.

The ball went well.

The food was delicious, the alcohol was flowing and people danced high-spirited. They decorated the huge, stony throne room with thousands of little lights and big red tapestries on each side of the room, representing Durza's symbol of power. The people chatted happily and even yelled shrill at someone's joke from time to time.

The moment Flynn stretched his hand out for Tooth, Jack wanted to cut it off. He glared daggers at Flynn, but they didn't see.

A possessive feeling tingled inside Jack's chest and he growled low in his throat. He didn't want her being touched by others - regardless the gender. He didn't even want any other looking at her!

What a thorn in his side she was..

He was on his way to her, when Pitch beat him to it. And Jack swore, if there weren't so much people around, he would have killed him right then and there.

Fuck Pitch being the mighty '_Nightmare King'. _And that he grinned the entire time in his direction made his blood boil.

..

.

"What did Pitch wanted?" Jack demanded to know and Tooth looked up at him, while they danced.

"He just wanted know, why I was here." She mumbled. She didn't want to tell Jack what they were talking about. She was too tired to repeat this conversation with him.

"And what did you say?"

"That this wasn't his business."

"Good." He said and looked down at her. Their eyes locked and Tooth saw the glimmer of mischief in his eyes as he began to lead her. Her heart pounded as they twirled around. Tooth thought about how different dancing with Jack was from Flynn and Pitch.

It was an _entire _different story.

She felt as if she lose track of time and couldn't think straight. Their eyes never left each other and Tooth felt drawn into those deep blue eyes. She felt like falling into those cold, yet fiery depths.

She only focused on Jack, his hands on her waist and hers on his shoulder. She forgot about Pitch's and her encounter only a few minutes ago.

All her problems and worries vanished; just like this.

Tooth learned from her father, that people tend to let down their guard on a ball, wanting to change their normal 'serious' attitude to a more open one. If it wasn't the food, it was the alcohol, who did the trick.

"Your good at dancing. I didn't think you could, being the violent Duke." She said after a long time and Jack continued to stare at her lilac eyes.

"It's a lot like fighting, but instead of punching the living daylights out of your counterpart, you move with them." He explained.

That would be the reason, why he was so graceful with each move. And hell, she could feel his muscles move under his shirt.

She leaned her head against his shoulder and saw Mia from across the room winking at her. Tooth blushed furiously and looked to the other side.

"You seemed to enjoy yourself with Flynn." He said in a tone Tooth's never heard before. She pulled her head back to look at him and saw him tighten his jaw. Was he? Ha, no way!

"Yeah, I did. But I enjoy myself now, too." She whispered and smiled sadly up at him. He just looked at her – like she was a puzzle to solve.

Jack spun her around, remembering how beautiful the dress moved with her and showing him a glimpse of her smooth, olive thighs. He watched the three different colors in her hair illuminating in the soft light. With his hands on her waist he could feel the softness of it and he wanted nothing more than to run his fingers through it.

Tooth tightened her hold on his shoulders and Jack pulled her closer even more. She forgot for a few hours, that she was a slave, that Jack was engaged and that Pitch was present.

Jack's soul can be rescued. She knew that for sure. Yes, he did _bad _things she didn't know about, but how can someone, who was so gentle, couldn't be rescued?

No words, just looking and twirling. You don't have to say out loud what was going on between them, since you know the sky is blue without voicing it out loud, too.

They didn't know, that a certain King will use this _bond_ against them..

..

.

**Two hours later**

Jack ran his hand over her forehead and down her cheek. "_Toothiana_, come back to me." He coaxed her out of her nightmare, repeating her name gently over and over again. He heard her whimpering through the door and came to look after her.

He could have kicked himself. He only trained her physical, but totally forgot the mental part.

Those, who doesn't have a strong mental barrier, were open to abuse.

If he wake her up too abrupt, she would get hysterical.

It's what the nightmares do to one. They slowly blurred into reality, making the person think he's going insane, because one didn't know what was real and what was not.

..

.

Tooth knew she was dreaming, but something in her mind was fighting against logic; trying to convince her that it was real.

But it couldn't be real.

Everything was normal. She lay on the couch in Jack's and her room. It was dark and the only sound came from her breathing.

The shadows were too dark. Too unmoving in the flicker of a torch.

A torch?

Tooth jerked her head around and saw a torch in front of Jack's bedroom door.

She stood and slowly walked forward, looking around. She was alone.

One step.

Laughing.

Tooth stopped. "Hello?"

Nothing.

Another step.

More laughter.

"Hello?!" She asked louder again, but nothing. Her heartbeat increased.

"_-aaack.. Haha- having fu-" _Tooth heard a little girl.

She knew that voice.

Tooth turned around.

Pain exploded in her head and she saw starbursts dancing in front of her eyes.

Tooth raised a hand to her cheek, gingerly touching a certain spot.

She looked up, wanting to know, who had hit her.

Her eyes widened.

"Jack?" She whispered in disbelief, watching the hatred in his eyes.

Suddenly the torch burned out.

Darkness.

"Believe me, you wouldn't know life without death." Jack's deep voice said.

The scene faded into another one. Tooth was at home with her father. Tooth looked as though she was watching it from a corner.

"He's so selfish! I- I hate him!" The 'other' Tooth cried and dropped to the ground. Heavy sobs racked her body. "I'm not even an adult yet! Other girls my age should go shopping with friends!"

Another sob.

Her father remained the same, looking down at her in disgust.

"And the worst of it is, t-t-tha- ht- I.. I-." She choked on her own words. "I like what he does to me. Like I-I'm a masochistic freak!" She grabbed each side of her face and looked horrified.

The 'real' Tooth was more than confused, and what her father did next left her speechless.

"Maybe you deserve this. After all, it's your fault you're mother died."

A pang in her chest. It hurt and send a painful sensation through her whole body.

All this didn't make sense!

"_Yes, it really was your fault._" Another voice said and Tooth recognized it as Pitch's voice, deep and dark.

Tooth only heard the scream of her other self and cringed.

Her cheek stung.

"There you are." A husky voice said and Tooth turned around to face Jack. She knitted her brows and looked back to her father, but there was no one.

Remembering that Jack hit her, she backed off, but an invisible wall blocked her.

"Huh?" Tooth tried to punch against it, but nothing happened. It felt like she punched jelly.

She heard a laugh. She knew that laugh far too well now, so she didn't bother turning around.

"So you _like _what I do to you?" Jack whispered in her ear and Tooth went limp in shock. She didn't even sensed him coming so close to her.

"W- What?" She squeaked and Jack grabbed both of her hands from behind, raising them slightly over her head and leaning against her.

"Look." He said and Tooth didn't know what he meant. That was when she looked up and saw the bruises on her arms.

Hand prints.

Jack slowly lowered one arm and planted his hand over one bruise.

Tooth gasped. It were his!

Fear froze her. She desperately thought that this was just a dream. That it wasn't Jack, who was pressed against her back.

Yeah, it was just a hallucination. And she would be damned, if she was going to be afraid of one.

"Let me go!" Tooth spat and tried to twist herself out of his grasp, but he was too strong. She felt a cold hand trail from her shoulder down to her hip.

Ok, for a hallucination this sure felt real.

"Why should I?" He pressed his mouth against her neck, grazing the skin with his sharp canines.

"This is a dream." She mumbled over and over again. "Get out of my dream!"

She felt Jack's smirk against her neck. "Maybe this is my dream, too?" His hand slid from her hip down and under her shirt.

"W- Wha- are you- doing?" She asked now in complete dread.

"You were a bad, bad girl, trying to run away from me." He said as he traced his fingers over her bare stomach.

"S- Stop.. STOP!" Tooth screamed as she felt Jack's finger trailing dangerously higher.

Just like that he stopped.

The scene faded and Tooth slumped to the ground. She took a shaky intake of breath.

"She's stopped breathing!"

Huh?

Tooth looked up and saw in front of her women and men in greenish coats.

Doctors and nurses.

One pointed at a machine, that was tracing some.. patterns?

Tooth heard curses.

She slowly stood on shaky legs and walked over to the operation table.

Blood. Everywhere.

There was a huge scar on the lower belly of.. someone. Tooth couldn't see him or her.

"Why? She was calm the entire time!" One man cried out as the patient arched his or her back.

A loud scream.

The nurses were nearly too weak to hold him or her down. The heart monitor sped up.

Everything mixed in Tooth's ears. Vital signs, screams, curses.

Everyone tried to figure out, what went wrong.

Tooth saw abnormal spikes on the graph, showing the heartbeat.

"Cardiac arrest!"

Electro paddles, beeping, electricity.

Flat line.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~

Tooth felt sorry for whoever was on the table.

"_Is that so? Then have a closer look." _A voice in the back of her mind told her and she couldn't help her curiosity.

Her heart almost instantly dropped at the sight in front of her.

She covered her mouth in pure shock.

"This can't be happening!" She closed her eyes and shook her head fanatically. "No, no, no, no, no! This is not real, not real!" She whimpered and sobbed hard.

_"Oh but this is most definitely real."_ Pitch mocked her.

"No, you're lying. YOU'RE LYING!"

"_Listen closely." _

She covered her mouth to stifle her sobs. She didn't want to hear it, but she couldn't move her hands to her ears.

She couldn't block out the voices.

And then she heard words, which made her want to throw up.

"We were able to implant the second embyro. So why did this happen?"

Tooth trembled.

_Ratschhh_

The figure on the operation table snapped the straps from her and clawed desperately at everything around it with all its mind.

Tooth could just look at it, blood splattering the white walls.

Then the beast turned to her as every person in the room was dead, guts torn out and heads separated.

It looked at her. One eye was lilac, the other was yellow.

Tooth stumbled over her own feet as she tried to run away, landing on her butt.

The beast rattled in its throat, blood covering her face and body.

"Don't do this. You don't have to do this. Snap out of it!" Tooth yelled, seeing no escape. "Please, the- they come." She added, hearing the alarm and fade yelling.

"Please.. _Mum_!" Tooth yelled, but her mother looked at her like she was the crazy one. "Mum, please, ple-" She choked and her mother saw that as an opportunity to rush forward and grab her by the throat, choking her.

"M- Mu-.." Tooth tried to talk to her, but she couldn't breathe. Her face felt like it was swelling with the blood. "Pl- ese-" A tear ran down her cheek.

Her eyes were ruthless, following her into the darkness around her, which engulfed her more and more by the second.

A rushing sound in her ears.

Slowly the pain subside and then there was just numbness, leaving her paralyzed.

Nothing.

Darkness.

..

.

Tooth's eyes snapped open and she let out a blood-curling scream. The pain, the numbness, the sight.. everything was so real!

She looked around the room, but didn't saw her mother.

It was Jack.

Another scream and with impossible speed she stood and ran towards the door. By now she gasped and whimpered as she couldn't get the door open.

She wanted to get out of here. Get out of the room. Fast.

"_Toothiana_." She heard and her eyes widened in panic.

"NO! Get away from me!" She screamed and slammed against the door, her mind still half lost in her nightmare.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and she jumped at the contact. Without looking at him, she ran back and tried to shrink into the corner on the opposite of the room.

Away from Jack.

..

.

Jack didn't know what was up with her, but now he was confirmed that it must've been a nightmare.

"_Toothiana_, it's me, Jack." He said gently, taking a step forward.

Tooth held her hands up. "D- Don't!" She stuttered and her knees buckled.

"Listen, it was a nightmare. This is real." He said soothingly and Tooth looked around fanatically.

"No. NO! He- H.. He said the same! It's all a LIE!" She screamed and grabbed her head with her hands. "It's a dream. I- I ha- ve to get out."

Jack marched over to her, grabbing her hands. She screamed and managed to rake her nails down the side of Jack's face, but not enough to draw blood and Jack took a firm hold of her hands. "NO! Don't hurt me more!" She whimpered and slid down on her butt. "I- I'm n- not a fr- freak!"

At that Jack knitted his brows. She dreamed that he hurt her? He gritted his teeth.

_Pitch.._

"Listen, it was a nightmare. That wasn't real. You're here. It's not a dream. I won't hurt you, Toothiana." He tried again, but she trembled.

_'How can I prove to her, that this is real?'_

He let go of her and walked over to the light switch, turning it on.

Bright light engulfed them and Jack saw her chest moving irregular along with sweat trickling down her face.

She looked around and heard the thunder.

This wasn't a dream anymore, right? In her dream, when she was in this room with Jack, she couldn't hear the thunder.

Was this all a mind trick?

She looked at her bare arms and indeed, there were no signs of her bruises. Then she grabbed her throat, but it didn't hurt.

And there was definitely no blood.

Tooth looked up at Jack, who knelt in front of her at arm's length.

"J- Jack?" She asked and said man nodded. "O- Oh God!" She closed her eyes and ran her hands over her face. "I- I had-"

"A nightmare." Jack said and Tooth nodded. "But it's over now." He said softly and Tooth looked at him.

Without warning she lunged forward and clutched at his white shirt, burying her face in his neck.

Now she was a little girl again. And she didn't give a damn about it.

Jack at first didn't move, too shocked, but eventual encircled her waist to bring her closer. He rested his head on top of hers. "Tell me." He whispered.

Tooth sobbed. "I-I can't. I-"

"Shh." Jack soothed and ran his hands up and down her back.

"It was.. J- Jack. They did something with m- my mother. There was bl- ood. Everywhere. _You _were there." She sobbed and Jack tensed. "Y- You.. and- _P-Pitch! _He told m-me it was m-my fault she.. she- and my father.." Tooth was unable to speak, seeing the horrible things in front of her eyes again. She instinctively tightened his grip on his shirt.

"It's going to be ok now." Jack said. After another five minutes he decided that she needed to calm down.

He secured his arms under her thighs and stood slowly, bringing her with him, so she could still rest her head in the crock of his neck while her legs dangled on either side of him.

He walked through his bedroom and into the bathroom.

He wanted to let go of her, so she could step under the shower, but her hands wouldn't let go of _him. _

He sighed and turned the shower on, letting it heat up before stepping under the warm water. She tensed when the drops made contact with her, but she didn't scream.

Good.

They stood at least for five minutes like this, unmoving. Jack closed his eyes after one minute and rested his head on top of hers, giving her time to calm down.

Eventual she did and she moved her legs, so Jack let her go. Now she stood in front of him and he looked her in the eyes.

Due to the water his hair clung to his head and she was certain her hair looked the same. How embarrassing..

She tried to look away, but Jack moved his index finger under her chin to make her look at him. "Are you alright?" He asked over the streaming water.

Tooth nodded. Jack moved his hands to her face and brushed away her bangs.

"_I'm sorry, Tooth."_

Tooth's eyes widened. "W-What?" She squeaked and Jack chuckled softly.

"It's my fault you had a nightmare." He said and Tooth flinched and Jack ran his thumbs over her cheeks in a comforting manner. "I only trained you physically."

Tooth could connect the dots and smiled sadly. "It's ok. I'm fine." She said and Jack did something, which made her heart skip a beat.

He kissed her forehead.

Tooth closed her eyes and savored the feeling. And he called her _Tooth! _Only her father called her like that before and her heart swelled.

There was no sexual tension between them, although the situation may look different.

After he pulled back he smiled.

A real smile and she couldn't help but to smile back.

She looked down and crossed her arms over her chest, trying to hide her.. _curves_. Thanks to the water her clothes clung to her form. Pink coated her cheeks and she looked away.

But Jack only looked at her face. A fact she was happy about.

"Wait." He stepped out of the shower and disappeared behind the door. Tooth shut off the water and wrung her hair out.

The door opened and Jack threw one of the large blankets over to her. "Those will have to do." He said and closed the door again, leaving her alone in the bathroom.

Taking a deep breath she stepped out of the shower and stripped, laying her clothes over the edge of the tube, so they could dry overnight. She used a towel to dry herself and then snuggled into the large blanket, covering not only herself, but a few inches of the floor.

She felt comfortable. The 'shower' snapped her out of her nightmare.

She looked into the mirror and nearly yelled. Her skin was pale and she had dark circles under her eyes.

Damn that nightmare..

Her hair was a wet mess, but she was too tired to care. The nightmare and the fading adrenaline had slowly drained the last of her energy out of her.

She took a deep breath before she opened the door to Jack's room.

He already lay on his bed without his shirt and a blanket around his lower parts.

But like she felt back in the shower, there was absolutely no sexual tension. Without a word she walked over to him and lay down next to him.

They lay there for a few minutes, listening to the thunder outside.

"Thank you." Tooth whispered, knowing Jack would hear it. She felt him shift and tug at her shoulder. She gave in, rolled over so she could face him.

He looked so relaxed right now; she didn't know why.

"I'm sorry, too." She mumbled and traced the fading red marks on his cheek, where she had clawed at him.

Jack grinned, took hold of her hand and pulled her closer. Tooth lay her head on his shoulder while he lay back, moving her hand from his cheek and over his chest, so she could snuggle into him, holding onto his cold hand. Jack held her around the waist with his other hand, a peaceful expression on his face.

Tooth listened to his calm and steady heartbeat, which lulled her slowly into a dreamless sleep.

Shortly after Jack fell asleep likewise.

..

.

"It's easy to make a bomb. On Ar'Kit I was the being watched, but here they don't seem to consider a depressed looking slave to be much of a threat. I just have to mix the right chemicals to cause the utmost damage to Pitch's ship." Tooth explained to the three. The whole occasion with Pitch seemed to slowly poison her mind and she was determined to put an end to it. That was the reason why she called Jack, Bunny and Flynn into the labs.

No other person was present, so she could tell her plan without someone eavesdropping.

"And this will work?" Flynn asked.

"Of course. I have over fifty little bombs here."

"You forget that we have to get _in_ the ship." Bunny said and Tooth smirked.

"That's what these things are for." She held up a white bracelet. "It looks like the device for the gravity-controller, but it's a transporter. It is coordinated to Durza and with a press to this button-" She showed it to them. "It will transport me to Pitch's ship."

"How is that even possible?" Bunny asked in disbelieve.

"It's a lot like calling. You enter data to your destination – which I calculated – and then it will create some kind of event horizon, pulling you into it and to your destination." Tooth explained and Flynn looked awe-struck.

"That's-"

"Impossible? Nope." Tooth grinned.

"There are a few problems, woman." Jack said from across the room, leaning against the wall. "First, you can't just 'teleport' into the ship. The sensors will detect you immediately. Secondly, you don't have a weapon to defend yourself and thirdly.. _You _won't go." He deadpanned.

Tooth simply ducked under the table and grabbed a few things, slamming them onto the table. "With this, I won't have a problem." She said smugly, then frowned. "And I thought you would say, that I can't go. Therefore I prepared this." She pointed to the pile.

Jack walked over and took a closer look, as well as Flynn and Bunny.

"I made special clothes. For me, you-" Bunny. "And you." Jack. "The material is stretchable and is replete with tiny computers, who will detect the invisible radiation from their sensors and absorb them, successfully hiding us. Even if it were thermosensitive sensors, they won't catch sight of us."

Jack held up a black hoodie. "I guess that's mine?"

Tooth nodded. "I made it black, so you could blend in perfectly. And-" She stood and walked over to him, pressing a tiny button at the outside of the hood. A screen materialized. "I hacked into Pitch's computer and copied a file of the ship's layout into it. You will know where you are at any time. Sadly I couldn't just activate self-destruction, because that required a password, which my programs couldn't figure out." She explained and pressed the button again.

Tooth walked over to the table and grabbed a tiny device. "This is an earplug. We can communicate through it." She handed Bunny and Jack one. "And this-" She grabbed her gun, which looked like a weapon from a sci-fi movie. "Is my baby. I was able to enhance it. The atmosphere of Durza is full of energy due to the constant lightning. My gun can absorb the electrons from a wide range, even through walls, and magnify the bullets."

Silence.

Tooth was proud of herself.

"And Jack?" She began and he looked at her. "You can't order me around. Pitch deserve this and.. I need to do this, ok? That bastard will bleed for what.. he _showed _me." She said and Jack saw the fire in her eyes.

How can he possibly say no? He knew that feeling. He understood it perfectly.. but he couldn't just let her put her head in the lion's mouth. "I will come with you."

"What?" Bunny and Tooth said at the same time and Jack raised a brow. Both weren't sure why the Duke would accompany her.

"I will go with her." He said like he spoke to a little child. "End of discussion."

Now it was Flynn, who spoke. "Toothiana, all this is very impressive, but do you really think you can go with Jack in Pitch's ship and destroy it? Have you thought of the consequences? You will fight on _this_ planet, or up there. Whatever. The point is, that Pitch will use this to start a war against Durza. Have you thought about this?"

Tooth knitted her brows. "Yeah, I have." She mumbled.

"King _Fenju _wouldn't approve it." Flynn added and Tooth hung her head.

"But it's our only chance to do some damage, Flynn. Pitch and his minions are down here. There must be only a few _guards _left on the ship. We.. We don't have to tell King_ Fenju." _Tooth tried to reason.

"This will be like treating him with contempt." Bunny said.

"Not if I ordered it." Jack's smooth voice said and everyone looked at him. "If anything happens, I will take full responsibility."

"You can't take full responsibility, if you're dead, Duke." Flynn narrowed his eyes.

"That's why he-" He pointed to Bunny. "Will stay here. I will give him my orders by letter, so _Fenju _can't argue."

Bunny looked angry and Flynn pinched the bridge of his nose. "This won't end good."

However, Tooth beamed at Jack for doing this. "This is perfect, Jack. Nothing major will happen." She cheered.

"Except that Pitch will go haywire down here, IF you succeed." Bunny said.

"We'll take care of him, when we're back on land." Jack said to him.

"I have a bad feeling about it." Bunny stressed and Jack took his clothes and earplug, leaving to change.

"Well, I guess that was his way of saying _'So what? We will do it nonetheless'._" Flynn said to Bunny and chuckled humorless. "I guess we have to distract Pitch and King _Fenju _from now on."

Bunny grinned at him. "Yes, I guess." He turned to Tooth and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm not comfortable with you being up there, but logic is on your side, so I will do my best to buy you as much time as I can."

Tooth smiled up at him. "Thanks, Bunny. Take the earplug, so we can communicate."

"I will." He winked and they embraced. As they pulled apart Flynn placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't do something reckless. If you have the chance to escape, don't hesitate. Good luck."

Tooth nodded and squeezed his hand.

Bunny and Flynn bid farewell and Tooth grabbed her clothes, heading to another room to change.

..

.

Tooth was ready.

She wore a dark green overall, which was lighter on her arms and part of her legs. She had a dark green armor, covering her chest and the middle of her belly. A belt was strapped tightly around her hips, holding three bags full of bombs on the backside.

A holster for her gun was strapped over her right thigh.

It wasn't perfect yet, but she will improve it later on.

She pulled on her light gray boots, which held a gravity-controller in it. It was appointed to Earth's gravity, so if the gravity changed, the device will regulate it, so she didn't feel the higher or lesser gravity.

As she grabbed her earplug, Jack stepped into the room and Tooth couldn't help but to laugh at his expression when he saw her. She walked over to him and closed his mouth with her finger.

But she had to say.. He looked sexy in his clothes.

The outline of his hood was decorated by a black/grayish strip, which held the button for his screen. His pants were black and a black leather string encircled each of his legs from above his feet to under his knee. He wore – for once – black shoes, who held the same gravity-control device.

She grabbed the earplug out of his hand and put it in his ear herself. He merely looked at her, but Tooth concentrated on her work.

"There all done." She smiled at him and put on her own earplug. "I already activated yours." She added and Jack nodded, walking over to the wall to get his staff.

"And Jack?" He looked back at her. "You have to know, that those transporters-" She raised her hand to show him. "Aren't finished yet. So it could be, that we could land randomly in the ship."

Jack nodded and hooked it around his wrist. "Let's do this."

Both pressed the button on their transporter and vanished from the room.

..

.

"Ok, I'm in." Tooth whispered into her earplug after she landed in a completely dark room.

"You're six corridors away from me. At most we have three hours, Tooth." Jack answered through his.

"Right." Tooth switched to inferred. "No signs of Fearlings."

She walked further.

It was dark, so she used the inferred to 'see'. No windows, no doors. Ha! Tooth wasn't dump. If it's not seeable, you have to feel it.

She walked over to a wall, feeling the structure of it.

At one point and two walls next she ran her fingers over a tiny little gap. She smirked. "Got 'cha." Many space ships disguised their doors within the structure of the wall.

..

.

Jack eyed the room. His sharp blue eyes scanning every inch of it. There were containers. But what for? Mostly ships sent something off, but receiving?

"Let's have a look inside, shall we?" He murmured under his breath and jumped from the ceiling.

He used his staff to open the containers. "Cool." He said, looking into it.

Then he remembered. It was the same thing they used on him back then.

* * *

"_You know, my little Duke, if you don't feel, you don't suffer. It's that easy and I bet you will crawl to me, wishing your pathetic heart would've been dead a long time."_

_Jack, the ten year old version, looked up at Pitch. He didn't know what would happen now after he's been sassy towards him._

_But he was afraid, eyes wide open. _

_Two seconds later the hands of Monkey were around his throat, squeezing the life out of him. _

_"Let-.. me go-" Jack whimpered, a few tears ran silently over his dirty cheeks, but it was futile. _

_And Jack's hopeless situation and the frustration gnawed on his self-control. "Plea-e.." _

_A '__zap' ____rung out and Jack fell to the ground._

* * *

Jack shook his head. He grabbed one weapon out of the container, eying it warily. "Bastard." He snarled.

Those weapons shoot with black sand, which penetrated your blood vessels and connect to your synapses.

They usually discharge the weapon four times, causing great pain and disabling the person, who got shot with it. The sand will scan your brain for memories, switching them to nightmares. The decay time was impossibly long.

And having nightmares only dilate the time.

Suddenly the ground shifted and Jack crouched down a little to steady himself. "What the hell was that?"

"I'm not sure." Tooth's voice said in his earplug. "I'm on it."

..

.

Tooth pressed her ear-piercing, so a screen materialized in front of her, looking like a snow goggle.

She saw the ship with all the corridors and rooms. AND people.

The screen suddenly blinked red and Tooth saw five figures running towards her.

"What was it?" Jack's impatient voice asked and she gritted her teeth.

"Jack, we're getting company." She said and ran to the far corner, grabbing her gun and pointing it at the door.

"What? Company? I thought they were all down?!"

"Apparently my scanner didn't reach them. Must be some kind of protection. Like an invisible shield around the ship."

"Fuck!" Jack cursed and Tooth smiled boldly.

"What? Can't handle a few Fearlings?"

"You have no idea, woman!" Jack said. "This aren't Fearlings! Now we have to deal with Dream Pirates!"

"You're six corridors away from me. Get your ass here!" She whispered as the red dots on her screen came closer to her room.

She pressed her ear-piercing and the screen vanished, so it wouldn't light up the room and expose her. "We won't run away now."

Then the doors opened and those 'Dream Pirates' entered the room.

Using the darkness, Tooth looked at them. They looked like.. zombies out of black sand. Their eyes were just white dots and their limbs were unnaturally long.

Creepy.

"Don't you agree, that you have this nice, tingling sensation when you see those guys?" Jack asked her and she could just nod, which was kinda unnecessary, since Jack didn't see it.

..

.

'Damn that woman!' Jack thought as he scanned his area. The Dream Pirates were all in her corridor and she just god-dammit stood there in a corner!

"Woman, move or you'll get killed!" He shouted into his earplug.

But it was too late.

..

.

"Movement in corridor XPS-65." A man said, sitting in front of a control panel.

"Show."

A huge screen zoomed in, showing a tiny figure holding a gun.

"Interesting." The man tapped his chin. "Send another unit."

"Sir?"

"Just do it."

The man nodded defeated, knowing he couldn't make a stand against the first commander.

..

.

Realization dawned on Tooth.

That jolt just a few moments back.. they moved! But why? Pitch was still on Durza with King Fenju.

"_He'dob ga!_" She heard and focused on the Pirates again.

Shit, they saw her and now they charged at her, forming swords with black sand.

"Jack, we have a little problem." Tooth said and raised her gun, shooting at the first Pirate, who cried out and fell backwards from the force.

"You don't say!" Jack said sarcastically. "I'm on my way, give me two minutes!" His rushed voice made her panic shrink a little.

He would be here soon.

One Pirate raised his hand and formed a black ball out of sand, ready to throw it at her.

Checking her holster, she pressed a button and a blue shield engulfed her, dodging any sand that was thrown at her.

The shield flickered as it collided and Tooth didn't hesitate to shot all Pirates to maintain a healthy distance between them. The shield won't hold for long.

"Jaaack." She said a little panicked.

"On my way. Just shoot them!" He said calmly.

For a moment she was too focused on Jack's words and didn't see the Pirate next to her. Out of reflex she jumped forward with a loud yelp, dodging the sword.

"Jack, I'm screwed if you won't be here in the next.. ten seconds!" Tooth said and crouched down to have a better stance.

Jumping forward wasn't a good idea, because now the Pirates encircled her.

Now it was time to see the results from her training with Jack, so she pursed her gun, closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

_'You've got to be steady and strong. Not so uptight, and flat footed. Stay light on your toes.'_

Tooth felt the wind behind her moving and stepped to the side, turning around and using her hand, to knock the sword away.

After that she jumped a few times to either side, simply dodging all attacks.

She thought it would give her the advantage, that they would get tired, but she thought wrong.

It was just sand.

Sand didn't get tired.

She nearly laughed and decided to get offensive.

Tooth grabbed the arm from one Pirate, who wanted to hit her with his sword, and swiftly did a 360°, while still holding the Pirate's arm, twisting it with her.

When she was in front of him, she used her free arm to punch him back with so much force, that he did a somersault before landing on the ground.

Not wasting time, she took hold of her gun and shot the Pirate, immobilizing him for a while.

Another Pirate wanted to behead her and she ducked, then jumped up to dodge another sword aimed at her legs. She turned around in the air and grabbed something from her left holster.

With her teeth she undid the string and threw it down a few meters away from her.

It beeped before a bright flash lit up the room.

She heard howls and grinned evilly. Thanks to her shielding her eyes, she wasn't blinded by the light.

She raised her arm and began shooting the Pirates again.

Tooth didn't saw the other unit coming closer..

..

.

"Ha! And that was without even a single drop of rum*!" Jack heard Tooth over the earplug yelling and couldn't help but to smirk at the howls he heard.

He pressed a button on his hood and a screen appeared.

His eyes widened as he saw another unit of Dream Pirates sneaking up at her.

"Woman, there are more!" He yelled and instinctively increased his speed. He couldn't use the wind here, because here. Was. None.

He cursed.

"Woman?!" He yelled as he didn't receive an answer. "I swear to-"

"Jack, I'm a bit distracted here!" She yelled sarcastic and Jack cringed at her shrieking.

"No need to go all banshee on me!" He yelled back.

"Banshee?! I'm- huwaa!" She yelled and he heard the sound of swords clashing. "Don't distract me you pecker head!"

Jack knitted his brows. "Calm down." He ordered. If she would go all emotional now, she couldn't concentrate properly. He knew it wasn't good that he distracted her in the first place, but there was no way he would apologize. "Mind your surroundings." He said and rounded a corner, hearing the howls and yells not only over his earplug.

..

.

Tooth turned around after she delivered a round house kick to another Pirate and gasped.

More of those Pirates..

"Jack, I really need you like.. RIGHT NOW!" She panted and yelled the last part; a Pirate used the opportunity to punch her, sending her onto the ground. Her gun scattered across the room and out of her reach.

Tooth groaned and looked up at the creepers, seeing a few stars from that punch. She moved her hand over her jaw. "It's not nice to punch girls you know?" She mumbled.

Then two Pirates grabbed her arms and Tooth tried to kick and wriggle out of their grasp, but they were too strong.

They forced her on her knees and Tooth glared at the Pirate in front of him. He grinned and raised his hand.

But before he could lower it down, a sharp icicle shot through the hand and sent him flying backwards.

Tooth smiled in relief and jerked her head to the side to look at Jack, who stood on his staff.

_'Well, he looks kinda cool.'_ She thought.

"Hey, how you doin'?" He asked and Tooth rolled her eyes.

"Seriously? I'm on my knees and can't move!" She yelled and Jack smirked.

"Have to remember that for other situations." He winked and Tooth groaned.

The Pirates just looked at Jack like he represented the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The Pirate, whose hand was now decorated by a nice icicle, howled and marched over to Tooth, not hesitating in grabbing her neck with his free hand to choke her.

Jack reacted and grabbed his staff while he did a somersault back and threw it over Tooth's head, so it pierced through the Pirate.

Tooth gasped and shook her head to get rid of the dizziness.

She didn't saw Jack running towards her, then changing direction and ran straight for the wall next to her. He jumped at it, turned around and used the force to sent a heavy punch at the Pirate coming at him.

Tooth, now one hand free, twisted herself out of the Pirate's hold and landed on her butt, bringing her knees up to her chest to kick them out at the Pirate's chest with all her might.

Now that she was free and Jack had gained most of the attention by now, she ran over to his staff, pulled it out of the Pirate and turned around to look at Jack.

She was awe-struck.

The precision, the agility, the grace and the flow.. it nearly hurt to look at. How Jack could handle the Pirates was.. cool? She couldn't describe it properly.

How he crouched down, how he did a few tricks while jumping.. heck, even how he stretched and bent his legs was beyond her ability.

And Jack was fast.

"Jack!" Tooth yelled and without warning she threw his staff towards him.

Jack, who didn't even look, raised his hand and caught it with two fingers, twirling it around him.

"Show off!" Tooth said a little jealous and Jack smirked. He used his staff to sweep the Fearlings of her feet, before he concentrated and his staff glowed bright blue.

Frost engulfed slowly all of them, trapping them to the ground and successfully caging them.

"That was.." Tooth began and then sighed deeply. "Thanks for coming."

"Pff." Jack snorted and positioned his staff on his shoulder. "You clearly needed the help."

Tooth raised her hands to her hips. "Yeah." She walked over the ice blocks to the door. "We need to move. Their sensors may have not detected us, but I want to get out of here fast."

"What? Can't handle a few Dream Pirates?" Jack mocked her.

"Shut up!" She said and pressed her ear-piercing. "There are a few more, but not on our corridor. And-" She stopped and pointed a finger at him. "We have trouble, because the ship began to move, mister!" She poked his chest. "Meaning we can't go back by our transporters now!"

He could connect the dots by himself. "Shit, the coordinate's aren't valid anymore." Jack cursed. "Well-" He ran a hand through his hair. "Then we have to pilot it back."

"Yeah, I'll just go and tell the pilot." Tooth rolled her eyes. She caught sight of his 'you-don't-know-how-awesome-I-am' smirk and narrowed her eyes. "No freaking loop de loops, mister."

Jack held up his hands in defeat.

"Wait, you can fly this thing?" She asked curious.

Jack's eyes darkened. "Yes, but it's a story for another time."

"Then let's go." She said and ran past him and Jack followed closely after. "How fast can this ship go?"

"Around five times the speed of light."

"Okay, then we have to hurry. We have to be at least in the orbit of Durza to make our transportation possible." Tooth urged.

Jack knew why. Because the coordinates on their 'bracelet' are based on the coordinates from Durza's planet. If they would move too far into space, the coordinates won't mach anymore, meaning Tooth had to calculate again.

This would take too much time.

"I'm going to start planting the teeth all over the ship. It will take a while." Tooth said after some time.

"What about me?" Jack pouted mockingly.

"You will help me." She said and opened her backpack. "Here." She handed him a few things. "Those are bombs. They're as little as tiny tooth, so no one will see or detect them. They have strong enamel, you know." She giggled at her own joke.

Jack just looked at her like she was crazy.

Tooth coughed. "Sorry. So, just plant them every now and then. The explosion will destroy everything in thirty meter's radius. So be careful with them!" She explained further.

"I know a perfect place to begin with." Jack said as he held one tooth between two of his fingers in front of his face.

Tooth was glad she taught him the parameters like hour, meter etc. back on Durza.

..

.

They entered a large hangar, filled with little ships. They looked like a hexagon too, but a glass dome ensured that whoever flew that could look properly.

"Wow." Tooth's mouth was open. "This is-"

"Awesome, yeah yeah." Jack ended her oncoming rambling. "If we set up one bomb in one of the ships, it will cause a chain reaction to all the others." Jack said as he sprinted to them.

"Ok?" Tooth asked more than agreed.

Jack jerked his head back to her. "Woman, where is your fucking head now?! Ships need to be fueled. And what is fuel?"

"Combustible." Tooth muttered and then grinned. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

"No shit."

Tooth _'hmpft'_. "Well, the black sand all around here will magnify the explosion. I examined some of it back when you were wounded. Your hoodie was all bloody and mixed with the sand, so I could invent the bombs to their disadvantage."

Jack nodded as he jumped down from one ship and walked over to her. "Let's hope they won't detect us before we're outta here."

Tooth scratched the back of her head. "Well, in case they will, I set up a timer." She said sheepishly. "If we get captured or killed, there's nobody left to activate the bombs."

"How much time?"

"Two hours."

"Okay, let's go." Jack said and grabbed her arm to pull her along.

..

.

After ten minutes and two encounters with other Pirates, Tooth signaled with her fingers.

_1.._

_2.._

_3.._

Then they both threw a smoke bomb into the cockpit, where two Pirate's were.

"Stay." Tooth heard and felt energy flaring up; the hairs on her arms stood. She turned to Jack, whose staff glowed bright blue.

Jack felt the familiar adrenaline rush he always did, when he was about to fight. The Dream Pirates were no match for him.

It's hard to believe, what he had to endure as a kid..

But now he saw his chance for revenge.

Thanks to his skilled eyes and ears he knew exactly where the two Pirate's were.

Jack's movement was lightning fast. Tooth couldn't keep track of him.

Obeying, Tooth edged closer to the door and crouched down.

The cockpit was fairly small, so Jack first jumped at the left, then at the right wall before jumping on the first Pirate. He positioned his knees on each side of his head from behind and turned around, so the Pirate's head fell off.

Tooth heard grunts of pain and the cracking sound of ice. For an instant she saw Jack and one Pirate exchanging blows, then they were gone in the smoke.

One second later she caught a glimpse of the Pirate with Jack in a headlock, before Jack delivered a hard punch against the chest with his elbow, breaking free and twisting the Pirate's arm.

Then smoke again.

Then a Pirate with no head phased right in front of her, a black ball in his hand. Tooth could only look up at him, stunned.

But Jack saw the other Pirate and swiftly grabbed his current opponent and flung him straight at the other, so he slammed into him with enough force to send a stress fracture up the side of the wall. Both collapsed into a pile and Tooth found the energy to move into the cockpit, which was now clear enough to see.

Tooth looked at Jack, who was still slightly crouched and sent him a thumbs up. He smirked.

She then walked over to the chair in front of a huge screen. "Other units have been ordered here."

Jack, whose back was to the second chair, did a somersault back, twisted in the air and landed perfectly in it. He pressed a button to his right.

"We have to-" Tooth rambling stopped as she saw the doors close to each corridor, trapping them in them. She looked at Jack, who gave her a lopsided grin. Right, he knew what to do, since it wasn't the first time for him being on this kind of ship. What happened to him? What happened in his life? What happened that he was.. like the one he was now?

"What?" He asked her as she continued looking at him awe-struck.

"N-Nothing." She coughed and turned to the screen. "Here goes nothing." She then plugged in her USB.

The USB opened a program, which switched the foreign language into English, so they could understand what happened.

"Ok, we're out of the orbit. Did you put up enough bombs to make a dent?" Tooth asked him and Jack turned to her.

"Yes. They will generate secondary explosions where I have put them. So yes, we should make a helluva dent."

"Nice." Tooth said as she opened one file. Her eyes grew wide. "Jack, that's Earth!" She cried out and looked over the file. "Wha- do he want to-?" She muttered and Jack's eyes narrowed.

"Copy it on your USB, you can look through it, when we're back." He ordered and Tooth gritted her teeth.

"Jack, didn't you listen to me? We're out of Durza's orbit! We can't go back! We won't make it!" She yelled and Jack wanted nothing more than to freeze her mouth shut.

"We will make it, so stop your whining, woman!"

"How can we possibly make it in time?!"

"I've been on this ship, I know what to do, so stop your screeching and let me do it!" He yelled back and shut her up for now.

"Now is the time for me to say something profound.." Tooth began and knitted her brows. "Ok, nothing comes to mind. I'll set up some teeth around here, so we can do as much damage as we can." She said and stood up.

"Woman, your file." Jack said, while he pressed buttons and levers all over the room.

"Right." She muttered and copied the file swiftly on her USB. She wanted to go out of the room, but heard Pirate's trying to get into the room. "Jack, you knew about them, right?" She said annoyed and could literally see his smirk. "You know I would've been dead, if I would've stepped out of this room?"

"Nope, I've calibrated the door's panel. They won't get into this room." Jack explained and Tooth crossed her arms.

"And how do we activate the timer on the teeth?" She asked him sarcastic and Jack chuckled.

"They're automatic."

"You sure?" She dared to ask and Jack narrowed his eyes.

"They are, aren't they?"

Something about his tone made her shiver. "Y- Okay, point for you." She said and dropped her arms in defeat. Jack just smirked.

Suddenly the door opened a little.

"Jack, work with me. Is there any other way out of this room?" Tooth panicked and walked over to the chair to hide behind it.

Jack turned his head briefly and glared. "No." He said and swung his staff at the door, freezing open part.

But it was a second too late and Tooth looked at him. "Well, this is turning out to be a bad day."

At lightning speed, Jack pocketed the USB and shut off the computer. Then he jumped over to Tooth, grabbing her waist, pulling her closer until her back was pressed against his chest and turned around, so his back faced the door.

A bright flash.

Pain.

Nothing.

..

.

Tooth opened her eyes, feeling a major headache. "Ow." She muttered and sat up. "Jack?" She asked and blinked a few times. "Jack? Jack, I can't see!"

"It will pass. I'm blind as well." A voice said a few feet away from her and she relaxed, knowing she wasn't alone.

"What the hell was that?" She asked him, rubbing her temples.

"A shock grenade. Painful, but temporary."

Tooth didn't say anything and shifted herself, so she sat cross-legged. The next thing she felt was a hand touching her head and she instinctively bit it.

"Ow, ow! Hey!" Jack's voice exclaimed and Tooth stopped.

"Jack? Damn, say something next time!" She yelled at him slightly embarrassed.

"I like your attitude." He said innocently.

"Now is not the time for something like this, isn't it?" Tooth asked annoyed and Jack was serious again.

"I've been in worse situations than this." He muttered.

Ignoring his words she stood and walked forward, until she felt bars. "A cell? Seriously?"

"We'll get out of here."

"Yeah." She said in disbelieve. "We're just having a bad day, right?"

"I'm starting to see something, again." Jack said, ignoring her words.

"My sight returns as well." Tooth looked at her watch. "We've been out for twenty minutes. The bombs will explode in fifteen minutes."

"That's enough time." Jack said and stood. "If someone comes in here, you bite them, ok?" He said and Tooth groaned.

Then the door opened, revealing a familiar person.

"Bunny?!" Tooth yelled and Bunny opened the cell.

"You've doomed yourselves." He simply said and Jack walked over to the corner where his staff was. He tossed it up in the air with his food and caught it with his hand.

"You shouldn't have come." Jack said.

Tooth just looked between both men, mouth open. She didn't know why Bunny was here or why Jack was so relaxed about it.

"I believe that one day we can overcome Pitch. You can't judge me by helping you." Bunny said and pointed a finger at him.

"Pathetic excuse."

"Why are you here?!" Tooth interrupted their oncoming argument.

"I'll tell you later. I've been ordered to kill you both." He said and his eyes softened. "An order I intend to disregard."

Tooth smirked and turned to Jack. "I won't bite him."

..

.

"My Lord, the computer completed the computer enhancement. We detect energy in various places all over the ship. Could be a part of the ships normal function."

"Not if it was IN the ship. How powerful?"

"46336 _deldofs_, my Lord."

Pitch thought for a moment. Explosion? Accident? Sabotage?

He bared his teeth. "Jack and that chick. Are both dead yet?"

"No."

"Then do it already!" He yelled, communicating telepathic.

Pitch was good at acting.

A wicked smile plastered on his face. "This is getting' better and better."

..

.

"Here, take a few." Bunny said and handed her a few round things.

Tooth raised his brows. "What are they?"

"Eggs. They'll explode. Have you still a few bombs of your own?"

"_Teeth_, Bunny. And the answer is no, we planted them all over the ship already."

A loud screeching sound rung out and Tooth covered her ears.

"What happened?" Bunny asked as he and Jack looked up and down the corridor for any possible enemy.

"It must be something with the shield."

"You sure?"

"Yes. It's the same sound after all those years." Jack said before he looked at her. "I think your teeth are starting to disturb the energy system in the ship."

Tooth smirked and looked at her watch. "We have twelve minutes, guys. I want to get out of here fast now. How high are our hopes?"

Nobody answered her.

"Okay, call me a pessimist, but I think it's time for a plan."

..

.

Jack took out two Pirates on their way to the hangar, freezing them. "It's clear." He said back and Tooth walked over to him alongside Bunny.

"No, there are sentries in every corner. Thanks to you they are all on high alert." Bunny said and sighed.

"We have those." Tooth said and held up her egg-bombs. "I think they can do a little damage." She said smugly.

"Here's the plan-"

"I will go first, you will follow." Bunny interrupted Jack and Tooth saw the oncoming argument.

Jack walked in front of him, leaning his head up to him. "I don't think so."

Bunny just glared equally evil. "I am a 'loyal' servant here. They will believe me. You will just follow, when it's time."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Tooth exclaimed and raised her hand. "You'll go in there alone?"

"It's our only choice." Bunny said and walked away without further ado.

Jack didn't follow or argued back, knowing Bunny was right.

..

.

"Bunny."

"Sire."

"Come, we'll search for the intruders and kill them."

"I cannot."

"Do you defy your First Commander?"

"Yes. I have been ordered around far too long."

"Then you will die alongside them."

Bunny smirked. "No way."

..

.

"Let's go." Jack said from outside the room. Tooth grabbed her gun. Bunny had one hand wrapped around the Pirate's throat, while he punched him repeatedly.

Suddenly there was another Pirate next to Bunny, but before he could do any damage, Jack jumped over to him and brought both of his hands down on its head with enough force to stun him for a moment.

"Go and get her out of here!" Jack yelled and hit the Pirate again.

Bunny snapped the neck of his First Commander and looked over to her.

Tooth pulled the trigger of her gun, so the Pirate won't move for the time being. Bunny then grabbed her wrist and dragged her out of the room.

Jack finished off the Pirate and looked over. More Pirates.

He crouched down slightly, smirked and raised one of his hands, motioning to them, to come and get him.

..

.

Bunny rushed over to the door, opened it, looked out into the corridor to either side and instantly took a step back. He pushed Tooth out of the way against the wall.

He swiftly threw a few egg-bombs into the corridor, immobilizing the Pirates. "Jack! There are more!" Bunny raised his hand to throw more.

A blast.

"Arrgh." Bunny cried out as a sharp spike of sand penetrated his skin into his shoulder. He fell to his knees, but gritted his teeth. He raised his other hand to throw his bombs.

"Bunny!" Tooth exclaimed and her eyes grew wide as she saw his wound, blood sweeping steadily out of it.

She tried to tend to him, but Bunny shoved her away. "Just get outta here!"

"No one gets left behind." Jack's voice said as he rushed out of the room.

"Just go! The ship will blow up in less than ten minutes! What difference does it make? I'll watch your backs here!" Bunny said and grabbed his wounded shoulder.

"Jack!" Tooth yelled. "Do something!" She teared up. "We can't leave him!"

Jack tried to thought of something. They didn't have much time left, so either they would all blow up or just Bunny.

Jack placed his hand on Bunny's head. "You're not staying behind."

Bunny chuckled humorless. "Aww, you do care."

Jack snorted. "We're not in the orbit of Durza, so we can't use the teleportation. We have to get to the hangar as soon as possible. This was our plan and we will follow it." He said and grabbed one of Bunny's arm to help him up.

"Arghh- You- actually we are in the orbit." Bunny said between pants.

"What?!" Tooth shrieked and Bunny's ear twitched.

"Before I came for you, I changed the ship's course. By now, we're back into the orbit." Bunny explained and Tooth grinned.

"That's good! Now we can-" Her face fell. "We only have two transporters." She deadpanned.

"You two will use them." Jack said and unhooked the 'bracelet' from his wrist. "I can fly with one of the many ships in the hangar."

"No, you won't make it. You have only six more-" Tooth tried to argue, but Jack stopped her with a finger against her lips.

"Not if you won't stop your rambling, woman." He said and put his hand gently on her left cheek, tracing the bruise from one of the Pirate.

They only looked at one another for mere five seconds, before he whispered. "Now go."

Tooth, startled, simply nodded and took Jack's transporter and hooked it around Bunny's wrist.

She activated it and did the same with hers.

Tooth looked back, her figure slowly fading away. _'Come back to me'_ She mouthed and Jack mock saluted, smirking the entire time.

His face fell once they completely vanished from his sight and he turned around, sprinting towards the hangar.

..

.

Jack rushed into the hangar and closed the door, using his staff to destroy the control panel, so no one can come inside.

Then he rushed into one of the ships – not the one with the tooth in it – and started the engine.

..

.

"My Lord, two intruders just vanished from our radars before the Dream Pirates could reach them. The other one is in the hangar. They managed to kill the hangar master and unlock the opening. He also destroyed the control panel, so I can't stop him."

Pitch smirked and got up from next to _Fenju_. "I have some things to attend to. I'm back in two hours."

And he left with a wicked smile.

..

.

Tooth and Bunny landed far outside the palace and far away from any city. The rain poured down on them instantly and Tooth stood to look at the sky.

"Argh, why does it have to be so dark?!" She exclaimed and stomped her foot. She was worried for Jack. She pressed her ear-piercing and her screen materialized. "Bunny, he isn't even out of the ship!"

Bunny stood and walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

..

.

"Fun time's over." Jack said and sent five sharp blows with his staff at the opening. When the hole was large enough, Jack sat back and pressed a few buttons to move the ship and maneuvered it out of the opening into the lightning sky.

..

.

Tooth looked at her watch and tears threatened to fall again.

00:07:96 seconds..

00:03:25 seconds..

00:01:64 seconds..

00:00:00 seconds..

And both of them looked up at the sky.

..

.

Just as Jack was out of the ship and halfway through the atmosphere, the ship blew up. He didn't see it – sadly – but he felt the shock wave of it, which rattled his ship dangerously.

"Shit!" He cursed and drilled the engine by pushing his two handles, which defined the speed, until he couldn't push anymore.

Another shock wave rocked the ship and Jack's head slammed against the glass. He let out a low moan of pain and touched the side of his head. He felt something .

"Fuck!" He cursed and another wave rocked the ship, followed by another. He clenched his teeth, trying to get the shuddering and spinning ship back under control.

He could ignore the pain, but his eyes were blurry and he blinked furiously to clear them. He analyzed his ship's exterior, but there wasn't any damage. Or it wasn't too damaged for an alarm to go off.

He pressed a button and the ship went faster, when he activated the thrusters.

..

.

Tooth and Bunny saw the ship explode from the inside out and smiled sadly up. They did it. They were finally able to do some damage!

And how relieved they feel, having their foot on solid ground again.

The ship shifted to the side and descended towards empty field.

But what about Jack?

With trembling finger she activated her earplug. "Jack?"

..

.

Jack, who made it with a few bumps and close calls, looked at the ship and smirked. He just wished he had a facecam from Pitch now.

"J- Ja- ck?" A static sound disturbed the incoming words.

"I'm okay. I got cooked pretty bad from the explosion, but I'll make it." He said and turned around to land the ship. _'Not bad, woman.'_ He thought proudly.

"We did it, Jack." He heard now clearly.

He smiled. "Yes, we did. It wasn't such a bad day after all, huh?" He heard her giggling.

"Not bad at all."

Jack pressed the button on his hood, so a screen materialized in front of his eyes. "I'll land in a few minutes near you." Jack said.

"Ok."

..

.

Tooth smirked and looked over to Bunny, giving him a thumps up at her work.

But Bunny looked at her horrified.

The reason for this was right behind her.

"Congratulations!" A deep voice said behind her and Tooth froze in place in utter shock. She turned around swiftly to face Pitch, his face twisted in hatred with his eyes narrowed and teeth bared.

"You did it. No one ever came this far before." He clapped and walked closer to her. "You got lucky, but your luck runs out. Now." He snarled and before lunging forward with his hand bent at the elbow.

Tooth couldn't escape him.

She tried, backing away as he spoke.

He was too fast.

She was too tired to move.

Too tired to proceed what happened until it was already too late.

A strange kind of pressure on her abdomen.

Pitch right in front of her with a smirk. It was a cruel one.

It wasn't the sensation she felt in her abdomen that made her shiver; it was his look.

Slowly Tooth looked down.

Pitch's arm stuck out of her lower belly. At least the visible part, since he didn't withdraw his arm yet.

She should have listened to Bunny.

To Flynn.

To _**Jack**_..

Tooth looked back up into Pitch's satisfied looking face.

She didn't grasped the full meaning of what just happened.

Pitch grinned. "Too late, Jack." He said sadistically.

Jack?

Her head looked towards the direction of where Pitch looked.

It was really Jack; next to Bunny.

Tooth wanted to speak, but couldn't.

She wanted to ask him why he looked at her like that.

She wanted to see his smile again. To hear his gentle voice. To feel his strong arms around her, protecting her from even the tiniest danger.

"You should have come sooner, Jack." Pitch laughed. "I guess your skills weakened."

The voices around her faded away and she felt like someone pushed her under water.

She looked back to Pitch.

Blood dripped down, mixing with the large puddle of rain.

With shaky fingers she reached for Pitch's arm, trying to pull it out.

She was too weak.

"Now, don't look like that." Pitch said grinning.

A sickening squelching sound.

A loud gasp.

Pitch's withdrawn his hand out of her.

Blood followed after.

Pain.

Excruciating pain.

Pain she's never felt.

Then her body went limp.

State of shock.

Pitch held her up by her arms, so she couldn't fall to the wet ground. He raised his hand, which was coated with her blood.

Lightning.

Tooth saw her blood dripping down from his hand.

"Shhh. It's ok. It's going to end now." He coaxed her and wiped away the blood on her chin. "And you will see at first hand, what I meant on the ball."

She would die.

The wound was fatal.

But that's ok.

She did her part. And she succeeded.

But it wasn't ok, that Pitch was the last _thing _she had to look at.

"You have to know, this wasn't my real ship. In fact, it was just a useless piece of shit. I knew you would hatch something, love, so I put a shield around my real ship." He said amused. "A shield, which made my real ship invisible."

Tooth's eyes widened. But she scanned a wide range around Durza!

It couldn't be..

His technology must be more skilled than she thought.

Then she would die for nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

At the end, it was just collateral damage.

She imagined her father; how would he react? Would he be proud? Would he be angry or disappointed?

What would her mother say?

Tooth closed her eyes as silent tears ran down her cheeks.

"Go to hell." She whispered as blood seeped out of her.

Pitch laughed. "Wow! You surely rubbed off on her, Jack."

Jack.

She wanted to see _him_.

Slowly she looked back, opening her eyes.

Why was Bunny on his knees?

Then she looked at Jack, another tear leaking out of her eye.

She never saw him like that.

Unrivaled horror in his eyes.

She couldn't speak.

_'I'm sorry.' _She mouthed.

She heard Jack's voice, but couldn't figure out what he exactly said as she closed her eyes, losing her conscious.

She was happy for a moment. That it was really Jack she saw for the last time.

Something cold rushed over her to Pitch's form.

Pitch let her go.

Tooth fell unconscious, long before she hit the wet ground.

* * *

**A/N:**

_I hope this chapter wasn't too bad.. I am very sorry for any kind of mistakes! I wanted to give you this chapter, before I start working from tomorrow on. I work as a doctor's assistant.. so if anyone needs help.. *holds up syringe and laughs evilly*  
_

___Clap now, because due to this long chapter, we will see the change in Tooth's and Jack's relationship in... *bababadum* the next chapter! _

___*"__And that was without even a single drop of rum_!" That, my dears, were Jack Sparrow's words! XD  


___Stay safe, guys, and thanks for every review/fav/follow! You made my days!  
_

___NLR- over and out  
_


	14. I'll bring you home, I promise

**Point of no Return**

**A/N: **

_Yes, it's me again. I'm sorry for the long wait! Just let me say something before the next chapter starts. _

_You know, that Jack's engaged, but he doesn't have a ring or something like that. This is not the way people on Ar'Kit handle.. that. ;) But I'll get to that once it's time, so please bear with me now. _

_And another thing: _

_I didn't mention, that Tooth's battle clothes look like the picture from **teensophie-draws** from tumblr. I'm terribly sorry. If you're reading this now Sophie, please know, that I really am sorry and would change it, if you don't want me to use it. _

_Some important translations, if you forgot them: _

_**Ka'hat**__: Sister_

_**Lu'Ha**__: Little One_

___**Ni'ni**__: Big Brother_

_With that being said.. Have fun! _

**Warning: ****_Quite _**_intense chapter.. Be prepared.._

* * *

_How long will this take? How much can I go through? _

_My heart, my soul aches.. I don't know what to do.._

**_(Superchick – Crawl)_**

_.._

* * *

_Then she looked at Jack, another tear leaking out of her eye._

_She never saw him like that._

_Unrivaled horror in his eyes._

_She couldn't speak._

_'I'm sorry.' She mouthed._

_She heard Jack's voice, but couldn't figure out what he exactly said as she closed her eyes, losing her conscious._

_She was happy for a moment. That it was really Jack she saw for the last time._

_Something cold rushed over her to Pitch's form._

_Pitch let her go._

_Tooth fell unconscious, long before she hit the wet ground._

* * *

Jack knew she was safe, but he just wanted to make sure; he _needed_ to.

He didn't know why though, but he stopped wondering about his constant confusion about his feelings the day he accepted, that she would stay on Durza, instead of going with Bunny to a safe planet.

He didn't need another headache like this ever again. He decided it was the best to just go with the flow.

And he kind of liked what he felt with her. It was new and completely different from what he felt back a month or years ago.

She made him feel something he thought he would never feel again.

It wasn't just grief and sorrow anymore.

He was going to see her face light up or her eyes shine.

Just one of her smiles that banished the darkness in the dead of the night.

Even when they argued.

Her cheeks would flush and the tiny girl would transform from a little kitten to a dangerous tiger.

He liked both.

Jack was determined to find out about the reason for his feelings.

_With_ her.

Jack's train of thoughts abruptly stopped, when his control panel blinked red, announcing that he had already landed.

He hastily pressed the button to open the ship and grabbed his staff. Once the windshield opened, Jack felt the wind, washing over him and ruffling his hair.

The wind felt good, the usual prickling started to penetrate him, leaving him itching to do something.

With that feeling he twirled his staff, bending the wind to his will as good as possible, catapulting him at least 30 feet into the air.

In that moment, Jack felt _free._

He flipped around in the air, doing a somersault, twisting his body around himself and he let out a yell of pure excitement.

As he was about to hit the wet ground again, his pupils dilated, his body tensed and he twirled his staff, calling for the wind.

And he hit the ground, crouching down to break his fall, while the heavy wind around him helped to ease his fall, too.

Jack looked up, eyes still dilated, focusing on everything around him out of habit.

He was still a warrior.

But when did he lose his want to kill his prey? The prey was _her_ and the answer was simply.

When she entered his life.

Right from the beginning.. He never wanted to kill her.

She was a smart, fascinating little creature. She refused to back down when they argued, although she was so much weaker than him. He could break her with a snap of his fingers, but _she_ wouldn't back down.

She would rather headbutt him.

The corners of his mouth quirked up.

She had a contagious liveliness and a warmth that could draw you in without hesitation.

He turned his head into the direction, where Tooth was supposed to be.

He was eager to share his new found joy with her; his _excitement_.

He wanted to have fun-times or just sit around and talk. Not about him, but he was curious about her. Her life, her planet.. everything.

Still crouching, he used the force of his bent legs to jump forward, using the wind to jump further than he could have with a normal jump.

He wasn't aware that what he was about to encounter would not only change his life, but would leave him shattered; his core deeply damaged.

* * *

He didn't saw what happened to her at first. He only saw Pitch _too _close to her for his liking. Maybe she was giving him a piece of her mind, considering her temper and Jack nearly chuckled at the mental image of Pitch cowering in a corner with her in front of him.

But it was a mental image and Jack was in a euphoric state.. he didn't know, that it was in fact quite the opposite.

Just as he was about to rush over to them, Pitch spoke up.

_"Too late, Jack."_

And Jack stopped in his tracks.

Too late?

How often did Jack hear those words? How Pitch would say them just before he would kill someone, torturing them firstly with his special _gift_. If you could call it that..

Against some pretty damn impossible odds, Jack's managed to survive. Maybe that's led him to think, that he was kind of invincible, but Death followed his every footstep, making sure Jack wouldn't forget about him.

Though, deep down Death knew, that Jack would find someone, who he can't live without eventually.

Now Death hit back.

And it hit Jack harder than anyone could have guessed.

The moment he saw her injury, his emotions divided in several different direction.

Horror.

Rage.

Disbelief.

Shock.

Betrayal.

And worse..

_Hurt and Guilt._

And then she said words, which made him so utterly proud of her.

"_Go to hell."_

It was merely above a whisper, but could have been a scream for Jack.

That was his _Lu'ha. _

"Wow, y_ou surely rubbed off on her, Jack." _Pitch said, laughing and Jack couldn't take it anymore. He didn't want Pitch to touch her.

He wanted Pitch at least five hundred galaxies away from her.

And he would personally make sure, that one galaxy was huge as hell.

"Don't you dare touch her!" And Jack twisted his staff, sending a powerful shot out of ice at Pitch, careful to not hit her and Pitch let go of her almost instantly. Then Jack leaped forward, faster than usual, stopping abruptly right next to her falling form, bending down and catching her before she could hit the ground.

His knuckles turned white from the pressure on his staff with his other hand.

He looked at her, the rain slowly washing off her precious blood on her chin. Jack didn't want to see it anymore on her and wiped it away, letting his staff fall to the ground without hesitation.

Jack's thumb rested on her chin after the blood was gone and he took in all her features.

Her tiny nose; her slight blue lips, which were once a bright red; her high cheekbones, her little birthmarks under her right eye; her soft facial features.. The softness of her skin.

He knew she was still alive.

Her hands were cold and unresponsive to his touch, but when he ran a finger over her wrist, he could feel her pulse, which weakened by the second.

She was unconscious, the bitter harbinger of death.

But he secretly hoped that there was a chance.. that even the smallest spark of life was left inside of her.

He traced the side of her face with his hand, brushing her wet hair behind her ear, his eyes not once wandering off of her face.

Suddenly she coughed slightly and Jack heard a deep sigh. Then a tiny smile was on her lips. "You're.. here."

_'Of course, idiot!'_ He wanted to scream at her, but couldn't.

"Can- Can y-y-ou.. make it snow?" And she opened her eyes.

Jack looked at them.

She didn't see him. Her eyes were glanced over. She wasn't there anymore; physical yes, but her mind was already.. somewhere else.

He should have known.

She didn't even tremble anymore.

Her body was already dying.

He closed his eyes, letting his head fall gently into the crook of her neck, his hand still on her jaw.

He breathed gently on her sensible skin on her neck.

Tooth felt wind ruffling her hair softly and her eyes fluttered open. Everything around her was white; _warm. _She saw tiny white dots swivel around her. One little snowflake landed on her cheek and she smiled lightly. "Is.. that real?" She whispered, closing her eyes due to her growing tiredness.

_'No.' _Jack thought. _'But I wish it was..'_

She sniffed.

It smelled like _home. _Fresh cut grass, sunshine, moss, flowers and so much more to her.

And then there was this special smell.

Cinnamon, snow.. _winter_.

Jack seemed to be everywhere, even when it was warm, but she didn't mind. It relaxed her, knowing he was there, even in the depths of summer.

"I'm so tired..." She whispered. "How long.. will it take.. to go home?"

Jack felt a lump in his throat and he swallowed hard, trying to get rid of it. "Stupid, you're already home."

Tooth blinked.

And she saw a bulky man with strange tattoos next to her father, both smiling warmly at a younger Tooth, who danced in the middle of a huge room covered in mirrors.

Another blink.

She saw her friends.

Her school.

How she would pant, when she slumped into her seat next to her best friend, being late for school. How they would laugh it off.

Another blink.

How her father would burst out laughing the moment his little daughter got out of her room with messed up make up all over her face and too big clothes and shoes on.

Her handmaiden gave her them.

..

.

"_Look daddy, I did it all myself." Little Tooth pointed to her face, a bright smile on it. "Aren't I cute?" She asked her father and twirled in front of him with her handmaiden by her side. _

_Both smiled. _

"_Yes, Tooth." Haroom said genuine. "You will _always_ be my little star. Don't forget that, my dear."_

_Tooth giggled and ran to her father, hugging him around the waist._

..

.

Eventual the war tugged at Tooth's mind, awakening her want to protect everything around her. Her once childish soul vanished, leaving a strong, confident, yet caring and feelingly woman.

She saw herself arguing with her father about little things like her bedtime.

Or about her gusto for fighting.

..

.

"_When the time comes, do you really think Mom wants me to cower in a corner? No, she would want me to fight until the very last breath! We're in the middle of a war, father, so we shouldn't act like everything is at peace." _

_Haroom looked at her with a tired face. He grew old faster, the war tugging at his lifeline, threatening to cut it. "She wouldn't want you in any danger, Toothie." _

_Tooth rolled her eyes. "I know. How many times did you tell me that? But do you think she would want me to just let fate do what it wants to?" She raised her finger. "No, I will fight. She died, fighting until she broke, until she.._ died_. _You _told me that! That she was a brave woman." Her voice grew soft. "I will do the same, daddy." She raised her hand to his cheek. "I want to defend everyone and everything that I love." _

_Haroom tried everything to shelter her from any issues regarding the war. _

_But now he knew he couldn't change her mind._

_There was just too much of Rashmi inside of her. When he looked at her, he saw both, his lover and his daughter._

_So he smiled and raised his hand to hers, clutching at it. "She would be proud of you." _

_Tooth smirked. "I know." _

..

.

She remembered her travel to Ar'Kit.

To Bunny.

To _Jack_.. How he's changed throughout their little adventure.

She blinked again.

..

.

_"Tell me. NOW!" He yelled._

_"Or what? You'll kill me like your father killed your mother?!" She screamed frustrated and stood. Before she could even blink, a huge wave of wind slammed her against the wall behind her._

_"Don't EVER speak of her again! You don't know anything!" He threatened darkly and pointed a finger at her. Tooth blinked a few times in shock. She saw it in his eyes._

_Hurt._

_Anger._

_Frustration._

..

.

_"I- I was.. You know what? How about you thank me for saving our lives first, huh?" Jack's brows rose. This movement annoyed her the most and she poked his chest with her finger. "So?"_

_"You don't realize, that you're this-" He raised his hand and showed her the space between two of his fingers. It was little to nothing. "Far away from being killed. If I were you I would talk."_

..

.

_"Jack?"_

_He didn't answer, but roughly pushed her behind him, glaring murderous at the Fearling._

_"I will not allow you to kill the woman." He warned._

..

.

_Slowly and fearful Tooth let her eyes wander up to his crystal blue ones. "I am not going to kill you. Not now and not in fifty years."_

_"How could you say that?" She whispered and Jack interrupted her._

_"I won't kill you __Toothiana__. You just have to believe me, __Lu'ha.__"_

_This was it. She trembled and opened her hands, sending the splinter falling in between them and Jack threw it across the room, shattering it into million pieces._

..

.

Their first kiss..

..

.

_He gently tugged on her neck, bringing her face to his. He tilted his head slightly, bumping his nose against hers and he waited. But she did something that surprised him. She clawed at his shoulder, bringing him closer. Jack, a man who wouldn't say no to a woman's touch, closed the gap between them, softly bringing his lips to hers._

_Tooth felt electricity shot through her body at the soft touch and every thought of being on a cliff, ready to jump and pull him with her, melt away. Jack's gentle hold tighten after she pressed her lips more firmly against his. She felt his longing for more and it scared her, but as he pulled her flush against his bare chest she couldn't help but to finally let out a soft moan._

..

.

_As Jack saw the sly look of the man, Jack positioned the round end of his staff around her waist, pulling her closer, while the staff illustrated a wall, shielding her._

_Tooth didn't question his action and simply placed her other hand on his arm, too, thinking he did that so she wouldn't get lost in the crowd._

..

.

_"Don't you _dare_ think I did it for you." Jack suddenly said and Tooth opened her eyes, her hair floated around her. "I didn't do it for you." He said again and Tooth raised his hand to the glass, placing it against it._

_Jack watched silently her tiny hand and he looked up at her face. Her huge lilac eyes.._

..

.

_"Someone told me that I can't escape my fears or addictions." She said out loud. "That the universe is a cruel place." She looked him dead in the eyes. "And that you don't care about anyone."_

_For once, Jack was speechless._

_As Tooth took a step forward, he growled and grabbed now both of her arms, spinning her around to face him. "Of course I don't care. I am a killer. That's my only task, my only purpose."_

_"You saved me."_

_Each word was like a stab in his gut._

..

.

_"Take.. Take Toothiana and leave this planet as far as possible.. Protect her with your life and make sure she will not want for anything."_

..

.

_Jack stopped in his tracks, his back faced her. "Pitch is coming."_

_"I know!"_

_"Then leave!" Jack suddenly yelled and faced her. "Leave this planet! Go _home_!"_

..

.

_"I mean-" He said and shifted closer to her, raising his hand to her cheek. "You may leave now, but you won't escape me. I told you already."_

_Her heart skipped a beat._

_"I'd come for you. I _will _come for you."_

..

.

_The moment she said those words to him - that he cared for another living being - he knew she was right in some ways._

_A primal urge overcame him and he growled low in his throat._

**Mine.**

..

.

"J-Jack?" Tooth croaked.

"Hn." He simply breathed out, not being able to say something, his head still resting in the crook of her neck.

"At the end.. I.. was able.. to see.. your caring side." She whispered.

Jack's face twisted in pain as another jolt shot through his entire being.

"Can.. I go.. to sleep? I'm so.. tired."

Jack wanted to shake his head vehemently, but he spoke monotone. "Let's talk some more. You don't even have to answer, just listen."

"Hmm." Tooth nodded and Jack gritted his teeth to stop the stinging pain in his eyes.

"You once asked me about my planet. You know.. there aren't just warriors. There isn't _just_ death. We celebrate very often. We dance.. We laugh.. We have _fun."_ Jack whispered and stroked her long hair. "I bet you would have liked it."

"I think.. so too. I.. like.. your laid-back.. attitude."

Jack chuckled weakly, tickling her with his breath on her neck. "My people even gave me a name, 'cause I was such a troublemaker. I won't tell you.. but for now you can call me Wind."

"Wind?" Tooth gasped, digging her nails deeper into Jack's hoodie at the pain.

Jack tried to shut out her gasps, concentrating on the task to keep her awake, although he knew it was too late. "Yeah. I mean.. I wander around. Alone. I come and go without leaving a trace, like you said."

Tooth smiled slightly. "Like a carefree wind?"

"No." Tooth felt him shake his head. "A _playful_ wind."

"Does that mean you'll help my soul to float the right way once it's free?" She tried to laugh it off, but stopped because of the pain.

Jack closed his eyes. "You said you wouldn't leave me."

She raised her hand weakly, placing it on the back of his neck, stroking his hair there gently. The snow around her fell heavier. "I'm sorry, Jack."

"I- I-" Jack bit his lip. It hurt. It hurt so bad. Maybe it was a good thing she couldn't see his face. "At the end I wasn't even able to save you! You can't just leave me like this! I.. I won't allow it!"

Tooth smiled sadly. "There is.. nothing you can.. do." She panted, answering Jack's thoughts. "You came.. for me. That's.. enough."

Silence.

Jack slowly raised his head from her neck, only to lower his forehead on hers. "Do you remember the day you asked me if I were alone?"

Tooth nodded weakly.

"Would.. Would it have been ok to stay with you?"

Tooth didn't say a word and stopped stroking his hair. Jack raised his head from hers, looking into her face.

She had a serene, peaceful expression.

Tooth opened her eyes, tears in the brink of her corners. "Yes." She said it like it was natural for her to say that.

To admit, that she wanted Jack around, was the truth and she smiled, finally feeling more free without the burden on her shoulders. But the best thing was, that with this question he indirectly told her, that he cared.

Jack placed his hand against her cheek again and lowered his head.

Her eyes fluttered when he kissed her softly on her forehead. "Good, 'cause I wouldn't tolerate anything other." He chuckled quietly against her skin. Tooth giggled too, but it hurt, so she stopped and relaxed her body.

_"I'm sorry."_ Jack whispered.

With the last of her strength she slowly moved her hand from the back of his neck and placed it against his cold cheek. "Don't be.. You finally understand.. that it's ok to.. not hold it.. all in anymore." She said and wiped away the moisture under his right eye.

"Jack, don't.. let people say otherwise.. You _are _capable.. of being.. saved."

Pitch said, that Jack didn't have a soul to rescue, but she knew better. With every word, every newly discovered emotion, he touched her with it. It was soft like a feather and rare like a hummingbird near a human, but it was there. A tiny light, waiting for the right time to come out.

"It was.. a fun trip.. Jack. I- I-" Tooth smiled weakly. "Thanks." What little breath she had in her was forced from her lungs and she realized that her body wasn't responding to her commands. The cold numbness crept into every limb and was now forced into her dazed mind, slowly covering her eyesight pitch black..

The snow around her stopped falling, the scents faded away and Jack's face slowly blurred into the all-consuming darkness.

..

.

And then she went limp - all in slow motion - and his chest hurt so bad he thought he had to throw up. It was painful, nearly unbearable.

If he hadn't lost his heart already a long time ago, he surely has lost it now. It was official: The tiny pieces of his heart are never to be found and put together again.

_She_ stole his heart, leaving a gaping hole in his chest.

His senses, once sharp and overloaded, were now filled with vacancy. A wave of emotion washed over him, drowning him in a wave of sorrow.

A single tear slid down his cheek and fell onto her cold emotionless face.

He pulled her lifeless body towards his chest. He grabbed onto it, holding her close, refusing to accept that she was gone forever.

She still smelled like herself. You could think she was only asleep, but..

He slowly pulled his head back to stare into her face, remembering the way her nose wrinkled when she was in her scientific-mode. How she would yell in frustration and hit him when he teased her.

The way she reacted every time he'd kissed her.

Her face, that used to be so full of life and joy, held no emotion at all.

Nothing but death.

Slowly he let go of her body, gently laying her on the ground. He wouldn't say goodbye; he knew he wouldn't be ready for this _at all_.

She was like a part of him that he couldn't let go.

Why did someone so kind and innocent have to die, when there were cruel and terrible people still living?

Suddenly there was just darkness and fury inside Jack's body.

He switched into his old, emotionless self and stood up slowly, taking his staff with him and fixing his stare at Pitch, who stood 20 feet away from them.

"How _heartbreaking_, Jack. Wait-" Pitch's eyes widened mockingly. "Are those.. _tears _I see? Ts, ts, ts. Didn't I taught you better?"

"You better shut up now, Black." He breathed out darkly, dangerous.

"Oh, did I hit a nerve? Are you angry?" He asked mockingly.

Jack glared at Pitch. "How about **pissed **the **FUCK OFF?!**" He yelled and even the thunder couldn't be more forceful and dangerous than Jack at the moment.

"It's her own fault for interfering!" Pitch grinned after the thunder died down. "The only reason that I didn't stop your little sabotage was because I was curious to see what I could expect from you. As you can see, it wasn't much, since you weren't able to track down my real ship. Sorry to disappoint you."

Jack looked at Tooth, the pain in his chest sent jolts into every fiber of his being. Did she really died for nothing? Did all the effort didn't do more damage? Did all this happen just for Pitch's entertainment?

"You seriously didn't think you could defeat me with such a pathetic attack? If you could even call it that." He muttered. "Did you think I was stupid enough to let you sneak up on me like that?"

"You don't want to hear my answer to that." Jack said scornful. Actually he thought he was even more stupid. "My only problem is your shitty minion-" Jack pointed to Bunny. "-following you and doing all the shit for what you don't have the guts to do yourself!"

"Ahh. Weak people always tend to search for excuses." Pitch sighed and with a snap of his finger, Bunny exploded to black sand. "I knew that my people did something wrong with him. I have to fix that." He said more to himself and looked sideways at Tooth. "Amazing how long a person can remain alive after his guts were crushed, right?"

Jack didn't answer at first, his eyes darkened (if that was even possible). "I wonder how long you'll remain alive, when I'm through with you."

"You know what's funny?" Pitch asked, simply ignoring Jack's threat. "Feelings are fake, apart fear of course, because everything is based on it."

Jack gritted his teeth. Not this again..

"Ahh, you still know this, don't you?" Pitch grinned evilly. "For a moment I thought you forgot what I taught you so many years ago. Such good times back then." He folded his hands behind his back and started to walk, looking away from Jack. "Jealousy, anger.. even _happiness._" He spat the last part.

"That's not true." Jack muttered to himself and turned slightly to watch Pitch slowly circle him.

What Jack felt the moment he'd kissed Tooth for the first time.. How could that be based on fear?!

"Oh, it is true." Pitch pointed out, raising his index finger mockingly. "If you're jealous, you're afraid of losing someone. Anger is something special." He grinned like a cheshire cat. "You were angry all the time, even now.. But it was- no, it _is_ fear behind that anger, isn't it? You are afraid of failing, to disappoint and to let someone down. Someone special. That's the reason why you shut your emotions out a long, long time ago. But this was good, even necessary."

"Shut up." Jack closed his eyes and his jaw set tightly in rage.

"And now you're alone. There is no one left behind to _believe_ in you. Absolutely. No. One." Pitch emphasized and Jack reacted.

He focused on Pitch, pupils dilated and within a second he shot ice at Pitch, but he simply dodged it by waving his hand to the side.

"It's perfectly normal to feel anger or rage." Pitch said, pretending Jack's attack didn't happen and that only fueled Jack's rage. "Consequently it's ok to feel the need to take revenge or to retaliate. You can't put up with everything and you don't want to be fooled, right? And if you're happy.." Pitch stopped in his tracks and finally faced Jack, grinning from ear to ear.

"If you're happy, you're afraid that those times will eventually pass, leaving you with the bitter sweet taste of something you might never experience again. You fear the consequences of being too happy. Just like now, you were happy, that you destroyed my ship. Look how that turned out for you." Pitch laughed.

His words struck Jack deeply.

"Or this girl." Pitch looked over to her fallen form. "Jack, how can you be happy, when a million souls crave your death? You hear them right?" He looked at Jack.

Jack didn't answer.

"I thought so." Pitch said, sighing deeply. "The screams, the threats, following you with an echo you can't ignore or shut out. Those you've killed."

Jack closed his eyes. Pitch was right, but Jack could ignore the voices over the day, but not when he was asleep. It took a lot of time, but he got used to it.

Jack now realized, that Tooth was the one dimming their threats.

"She was the one banishing those voices in your head, but let me tell you something. _You _don't deserve to be happy, Jack." Pitch pointed to Tooth. "She is just one of the many reasons why."

Now Jack bared his teeth at that. He didn't like her name in Pitch mouth, even if it was just the _'she'_-version. But he knew, that in a way Pitch was right..

"She was innocent. You tainted her, showed her just a _tiny_ bit of your heavy darkness. She is the reason you won't be able to live without the ever present echo of your sins. Rescue and kill aren't the same."

..

.

_Tooth felt her eyes water. "I- I didn't- I don't pity myself. You killed-"_

_"So did you." Jack retorted and Tooth shook her head._

_"I did it to save me-" She stopped. _

_Jack was right._

_.._

_._

_But wasn't this what he inwardly wanted? That she died? He said he wouldn't kill her, but this was something else. If he didn't end her life now, she would only suffer further. _

_.._

_._

Pitch walked over to her, looking down at her. "I already told her, that your soul is doomed. Your soul belongs to me, and so does hers." Pitch vanished in a black cloud, appearing next to Tooth, lowered himself and raising his hand slowly to touch the side of her face.

"NO!" Jack yelled and leaped forward, catching Pitch completely off guard and he punched him squarely in the jaw, sending him tumbling backwards.

Pitch recovered fast, but was still startled at Jack's sudden move.

"I said: **Don't touch her.**" Jack said dangerously low.

Pitch wiped away the blood on his face, eying it warily before glaring at Jack. "She is a free _bird _now, don't take it away from her."

That was it.

Jack's hate grew until it was just a killing rage and his body trembled with the sensation of it. "You.. YOU! You're going to die by my hands alone for what you've done!" Jack yelled at the top of his lungs.

Jack used the opportunity to jump into the air, raising his staff over his head. It glowed a bright blue and then he screamed furiously and thrust his staff forward, letting an icy blast go.

It flew fast towards Pitch and hit him dead on.

Jack landed and jumped in front of Tooth, shielding his eyes with his free hand, while his body shielded her from the tiny shards of his ice, which exploded the moment it collided with Pitch.

What Jack didn't see though was Pitch's hands fly up, dodging his attack successfully by creating a wall out of black sand.

The only thing he did see was the shadow of a fast moving figure, then Pitch kneed him in the face, Jack went sailing backwards, his heart pounding and his chest igniting with a fire, before he regained control in midair.

When he caught himself in the vertigo, he placed his hands on the ground to spin himself over and land on his safely feet.

He didn't waste time as he lunged forward at Pitch again.

But Pitch smirked, sadistic and equipped, and he created a scythe with his sand, twirling it around before he got into a defense stance.

Jack saw the weapon and bared his teeth as he tightened his grip on his staff.

"I'm waiting." Pitch seethed.

And with a feral growl, Jack leaped forward with the power of the wind and swung his weapon.

Both of them fought for one full minute. Pitch dodging Jack's staff and the ice with it; Jack dodging Pitch's scythe by ducking and twisting his body out of the way.

Once Jack landed, he ground his foot in the earth underneath him and thrust his staff forward. He effectively knocked away Pitch's sideswipe with the curved blade before he dropped low. Taking the two-second window, Jack gripped the staff and sent the back end whipping forward toward the man's face. His elbows bucked with the sheer power he pushed it at, but Pitch had just as quick a reaction time as the Duke.

Using the back end of his own scythe, Pitch turned it up to parry Jack's blow.

He bared his teeth.

Jack leaped back and suddenly found himself parrying blow for blow the swings and swipes of the black scythe. The wind he tried to call keeping getting sliced by each cut and he found himself relying more and more on ice conjuring.

When the scythe almost got in a particularly nasty swipe at his head, Jack reacted quickly and formed an ice hook at the end of his staff to latch onto Pitch's blade. The two fought for dominance for a moment before Pitch's scythe cracked the ice hook in half and lunged again.

Jack then found himself twisted and ducking out of Pitch's destruction path. But his heart was beating steadily, his eyes focused. Pitch was psychopathic that was for sure, but at least he was faster.

Slowly Jack was able to bring some distance between them and Tooth's body. He didn't want her to be in harm's way, although that thought was unnecessary...

She couldn't feel anything anymore.

Another jolt of pain at the memory of her lowered his concentration for a millisecond as it sent a sharp pain through his chest to his every limb.

Pitch, sensing Jack lowering his guard, drew his fist back and punched Jack, causing him to slam into the ground with his back.

Jack gasped and his eyes widened at the sight in front of him. Almost instantly he summoned the wind, using it to fly out of the way just a moment before Pitch's scythe buried itself into the ground, where he previously lay.

Pitch, who anticipated such a move from Jack, was behind him in a flash.

Jack only had time to turn his head before Pitch brought his hand forward, sending Jack flying forward several yards with a punch to his back.

Jack rolled on the ground, letting out gasps here and there until he stopped, laying on his chest.

"You have a bad habit of interfering, Jack." Pitch said and stretched his arms out to prove his point. "How long do you think you can keep going like this?"

Jack clawed the dirt as he slowly bend his arms along with his legs to stand up again. "You don't know me. You don't know anything." He mumbled.

"But I know, what you are capable off." Pitch said and Jack's eyes widened. "You don't need them. I just tried to show you that all this time!.. But I understand."

"You don't understand anything!" Jack slammed his fist against the ground, causing the water to splash in all direction.

"I do know what it's like to be cast out, to not be believed in!" Pitch yelled suddenly. "Did you ever wonder _why _I do things the way I do?! Did you ever wonder _what _makes me the way I am?!"

"I don't want to hear it!" Jack yelled back.

Silence.

"We don't have to be alone, Jack."

Jack's eyes widened.

..

.

_"I won't leave you. Yet." Tooth said and Jack's grip around her hand tightened. "I won't leave you." She repeated in a whisper. _

..

.

He wasn't alone when she accompanied him all the way here.

Now Pitch took it away from him.

Jack growled low in his throat.

"Come with me and together we can create-"

"A universe, where everything is _Pitch Black_?!" Jack ended his sentence sarcastically.

For a moment Pitch seemed dumbfounded before twisting his hand, clutching the scythe so it vanished to black sand again. "And Jack Frost, too."

"Ha." Jack chuckled humorless and shoved himself up enough to set his feet on the ground before getting up and clutching his stomach. "I already told you many years ago. No." Jack declined, because Tooth made him realize, that he was strong enough to know, that it's not too late for him. That he was indeed worth of saving.

And that he didn't have to put up with Pitch's shit anymore.

"Very well." Pitch glared at Jack. "You want to be left alone? So be it." Pitch flew up and behind Jack, much too quickly for him to keep up with his movements. He'd snuck up on him so quietly, he had no problems in landing a powerful kick on Jack's back, sending him flying again.

While flying, Jack created a wall out of ice, using it to land horizontal.

He raised his head with a hateful glare.

Then with a last twirl of his staff he summoned the wind again, catapulting himself towards Pitch, who was already waited for him.

When Jack was close enough, he sent a jolt of ice at Pitch, then changed direction, materializing behind him.

Just as Pitch dodged the ball of ice, Jack jumped up and delivered a roundhouse kick to the side of his head. He jumped sideways with the help of the wind, landing against another wall out of ice, using it to jump to Pitch's other side, stopping against a wall out of ice yet again.

Pitch saw Jack smirk until his head flipped to the side when Jack punched him with his free hand; but he managed to remain on his feet, even when Jack continued to punch him.

Pitch fell backwards a bit, when Jack shot a blast at the still standing icy walls, which exploded and sent shards in all directions, and Pitch used his fall to dodge the shards and to push off his feet to do a backward handspring to get away.

But Jack was hot on his tracks.

The shards glistened in the lightning, causing light and darkness to dance over Jack's and Pitch's form.

As Jack flew to him, he landed behind Pitch, turned 180° to the left and when his back was to his, he slammed his elbow into the back of his head.

Pitch crashed face first into the ground, merely by the sheer force of Jack's move.

Jack panted, dropped into a low crouch and held his staff defensively as he waited for Pitch to stand up again. _'I'm not through with you, yet.' _He thought madly.

He was done with this game, he wanted Pitch six-feet-under and as his mind raced, so did his adrenaline.

Suddenly, Pitch charged at him and Jack didn't even had the time to blink before Pitch punched him in the face.

His surroundings spun and Jack gritted his teeth to get his senses back under control. Jack was barely able to dodge the brutal punch to his stomach, when his feet swept out from under him.

Before he could even land on his back, Pitch grabbed one of his legs and flew to the dark sky with him.

Jack shot ice at him, but they were moving too quickly for him to aim right. Pitch stopped and with one last glance he threw Jack up further, watching his body sail through the thunderstorm.

Pitch was more than angry.

His face darkened and his features turned cold and evil. His eyes grew angry, nearly psychotic, falling over the edge of insanity as his fangs peaked out at the corners of his mouth. The energy around him crackled, his nostrils flared and his teeth were bared.

His eyes were glowing with hatred.

And they were set on Jack.

Meanwhile, Jack lost his staff and he tried to get it back. Without his staff he would crash into the ground, flat like a pancake!

After a few struggles, he finally got his staff, using his feet to catch it.

When it was safe in Jack's hands, he spun around to see, where Pitch was while he fell towards the ground at rapid speed.

But he didn't react quickly enough to avoid Pitch next move. In Pitch's next assault, the man raised his arms, forming a massive amount of black sand behind him.

Jack's eyes widened.

He didn't have time to dodge it, so he crashed into the black wall with full force. His muscles were aching and something invisible bit at his skin, but his vision was clouded with blackness that Jack couldn't see it, couldn't fight it.

..

.  
After ten seconds, Jack fell out of the black cloud and to the ground, his clothes ripped and bloody.

Pitch slowly lowered himself to the ground next to Jack, who moved his arms to get up again. Pitch's brow rose. "You're conscious?"

"Hn." Jack huffed and struggled to get up.

"You've changed." Pitch said, narrowing his eyes and tilting his head sideways. "And with that I don't only mean your strength."

Jack just growled murderous.

"Your behavior. The moment I saw you, I knew something was different. Now I see." Pitch confirmed himself, his features twisting in amusement. "You were never one to socialize, Jack." Pitch explained further, remembering every expression Jack had at the ball or only moments ago, when he killed the girl.

"Ha.." Pitch began. "Ha.. Haha. Hahahaha!" He laughed wholeheartedly and Jack's face fell.

"What the fuck is so funny?!"

Pitch laughed. "You! You weren't cautious enough! Now you have it in you, devouring you like a fatal disease!"

Jack bristled and his fists clenched.

"It's the truth. You may be physical healthy, but now you have to face something, which is worse than death."

"No!" Jack spat venomously and his body tensed.

"Salvation." Pitch simply said. "You're struggling within yourself to come to terms with it. That is the true core of your anger."

"Shut up, you're mental." Jack growled, but Pitch continued to taunt him.

"Do you think you've finally found salvation?"

Jack only glared at Pitch.

"You've started to think, that you have a soul worth saving. And I'm not talking about God, whose giving you salvation. I'm talking about her." Pitch pointed to Tooth.

Jack blinked, feeling like he got punched in his gut. His whole body stilled while he glared at Pitch, trying to not show his shock.

"There is no God and no woman, who will forget what you did and forgive you just like that." Pitch snapped his fingers at that. "Pity." He now said with mock sympathy. "Your only way to live is to ignore the shadows behind you. This universe you try to protect is doomed with no hope of redemption."

"And you can change that?"

"That's for me to know and for you to dot, dot, dot.."

"You're crazy!" Jack spat.

"I dare you to say that again in like.. five minutes." Pitch mocked him. "_Now _is the time you'll get your punishment for what you did to Katherine! Let me put you out of your misery. Or better, let me _play _with it." He sneered and vanished in a thick cloud of black sand just as Jack was about to lung at him.

"Damn you, Pitch, get back!"

..

.

"Jack?"

..

.

Jack froze.

..

.

"Jaaack." The voice said melodically. "Look at me."

..

.

No, it couldn't be.

Jack swallowed.

He knew that voice.

He slowly turned around and saw her.

The world slowed down.

..

.

"Hello Jack." His _sister_, said and smiled.

Jack was baffled. How was that possible?

"_K- Ka'hat?_" He breathed out.

"It's really me." She said and took a step forward.

Lightening.

In that little moment of light, he saw that she wasn't a child anymore. She was at least 5'2, brown hair flowing around her shoulders, matching her eye-color. Apart her body, her face has matured the most. The childishness disappeared, leaving a beautiful, yet grown and strong young lady. He saw it in her eyes.

"Trust me, _Ni'ni_."

Jack's head screamed at him, that this wasn't real. This _couldn't_ be real. But she said _Ni'ni.. _

"You do trust me, right?"

Jack's mouth opened and closed. It was not like that..

"Jack?" Tears formed in the pit of her eyes. "Jack, please!" She took another step forward.

No, this wasn't possible! No, no, no, no!

He took a step back.

"You trust me. I know you do." She said again and Jack just stood there, paralyzed.

Her tiny arms slowly raised.

She was only a heartbeat away from him, yet it felt so far away. So distant.

And then she changed and looked like Tooth.

Jack blinked.

Before he could do anything, Tooth embraced him, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck in one swift movement. What happened in merely three seconds felt like an eternity to Jack.

He couldn't move.

He actually didn't want to.

It was her.

Small.

Damp hair.

_Warm._

To be close to her again was indescribable - in fact, it was intoxicating. He forgot about Pitch immediately.

He wanted to hold her again, to shield her from every possible danger in this entire universe..

But he failed to do this once, so who can promise her that he wouldn't fail twice?

"See? You trust me." He heard her faint whisper in his ears.

It was even her voice, for crying out loud!

Her hands held him tighter and something inside Jack cracked. His face fell and everything hurt. Not physically, but.. it just hurt. He didn't know why, but it was something he didn't want to feel _at all_.

She couldn't just hug him.

Not after she's left him only minutes ago!

His body began to tremble and it wasn't because of the cold or rain.

The cracks only grew bigger by the second.

"You can trust me. _**I**_ know I trust you, Jack." She said and Jack's tensed body slumped immediately. "I will be there for you. As long as I can. I will."

_CRACK_

Jack breathed out long.

Why did she had to say _those _words?

Now Tooth had done the damage.

And it was irreversible.

His chest sent out a strong painful sensation through his whole body, leaving him breathless. Those damn emotions just seemed to pour out of him only in her presence. He felt the wall, that had once solidly protected his heart, practically shatter and felt her words sharply nudge his heart.

"Why don't you say something?"

He wanted to say something, but his words were swallowed by a vortex of different emotions.

"Jack.."

Huh?

What was that? Did her voice just.. broke?

"Jack.." She breathed out and Jack didn't really heard her. "Jack.. run."

He didn't have time to reply.

A sharp, stinging pain filled his senses and he gasped. He knew that sensation well. Her nails had dug into his skin, leaving a tiny amount of sand in it. It will slowly burn him like acid.

He knew he wouldn't die, since his body healed faster, but it was painful and would lower his concentration.

Like Alba'na all over again..

Jack grabbed her upper arms and pushed her at arm's length, still holding onto her.

"I taught you well, didn't I?" He smirked, ignoring the pain. He finally saw, that her eyes were now yellow, not lilac anymore.

"I was waiting for you to open your eyes." She said. "There are no Gods, who do miracles to save us, no matter where you look. That's why we have to call one."

Jack looked to the place, where Tooth died only minutes ago, but she wasn't there, only the puddles. His eyes widened and he jerked his head back to Tooth.

_'How can-_

"I possibly be alive? You want to know?" She answered his mental question, but didn't wait for his response. "A person can still be alive, but dead on the inside. A living shell. Life is just a fragile thing, when you let it in your heart. So why the circumstances, when it's better to not feel anything?"

Jack gritted his teeth. "That's not you."

Yes, she was different. Not physically, but her aura had changed. She wasn't herself anymore.

She was a _Fearling. _

_'Pitch..' _Jack mentally bared his teeth at that.

"I am _Toothiana_, but not the weak one anymore. When I died, every single question, every doubt, every problem became clear. I finally know, that you can only succeed when you don't feel. Then there is no one, who can bring you down by judging you."

Jack didn't want to hear this from her. She was more herself with the passion in her eyes. He could only endure this cold, merciless attitude with himself.

"I'm no victim of your games anymore." She breathed out hatefully and jumped into the air, forcefully slapping his arms from her before vanishing from his sight.

Unfortunately he felt the shift in air and looked up, seeing her bringing her hands forward to sent black sand towards him.

Jack dodged the immense energy by crossing his arms in front of his face. The impact caused strong wind, which ruffled his hair even more, and he stepped with his left leg back to be firm.

He eyed her with narrowed eyes past his arms, while she attacked him.

_'Rash actions will be your death!'_

This was the first lection, which she had learned in his training sessions and here she was, ignoring it.

So Pitch's erased her memories about their training, too. He could use it as an advantage, but what the hell could he possibly do?

It wasn't like he could just blast her head off.

He was too startled over what happenes just now.

_Ka'hat.. _Tooth..

Jack gritted his teeth and when the wind around him calmed down he lowered his arms, looking up at her smirking form.

"I think your little lack of concentration will be your downfall. Pitch won't be happy." She said amused and crossed her arms over her chest.

A killer. No fear. That was the perfect Fearling. A bunch of violent and blood-thirsty idiots, but she was smarter than them.

Jack smirked up at her floating form. "I don't give a fuck about what he wants or what he thinks."

That actually caught her off guard as her arms twitched and she snarled down at him. "No one gets to insult the strongest warrior within the universe, without getting punished!"

In the blink of an eye, she pulled out her gun.

His subconscious kicked in.

Crouching on instinct, Jack built a shield with his ice by twirling his staff right before Tooth shot.

His shield flickered for a short time at the collision and then burst into million shards.

Jack, slowly lowered the end of his staff to the ground, moving it soundless over the puddles and creating tiny waves.

He saw a girl with bright yellow eyes, which comprised a wildness he had never seen before. Under other circumstances (and with her eyes being back to a bright lilac) he would have said, she was beautiful with her exotic aura.

And he waited.

Suddenly, she rocketed forward in an effort to land a hit on his face.

Unfortunately for her, Jack was too fast and he stepped to the side, causing her to miss and leave herself wide open for him.

But he didn't take action.

Instead, he just grabbed the back of her dress and flung her away from him.

She landed on her feet and growled, glaring at Jack, who hadn't moved from his spot at all. "Keh." She spat and shoved her concentration back to the fight.

Jack decided to mock her. Maybe he'll get a reaction from her _'normal'_ self, when she was angry. "What is it? Do you enjoy my company that much, that you keep coming back to me?" He laughed, although his insides churned at his words.

"Shut up! I'll slap that grin off your face in time!" She yelled and leaped forward.

As she sailed over the top of him, he brought up his staff with its round end to fling her away again, but she slammed an uppercut into his jaw, placing her feet against his staff before using it to jump back again.

Jack touched his jawbone with one hand and spit blood on the ground. He grinned at her with fake approval. "You _have_ improved! But you're still nowhere near my level."

Tooth laughed. "We'll see, my _dear_ Duke." With that she lunged forward, faster than the last time.

Jack concentrated and smirked.

Then _he_ was the one to make a move.

Tooth saw him disappear just before she reached him, the wind being the only thing moving around her. She stopped and waited for Jack to return.

Suddenly he appeared upside down next to her ear. "Booo!" He said huskily and noticed proudly that she indeed jumped at his sudden appearance.

"Youuu~!" She cried out, spinning around to punch him, but Jack was too fast and she punched thin air.

She didn't even have time to blink when she saw Jack's smug face above her again.

His grip came around her shoulders and his legs immobilized her knees in a firm grip.

"You aren't focused, too. A dangerous thing. It could kill you." Jack purred. Tooth realized, that she was on her back on the ground with Jack on top of her. It happened too fast for her.

She struggled violently to free herself from his grip. "Let me go or I'll claw your eyes out!" She didn't wait for a response and let out a scream of fury, when her hand rose to hit his face.

She caught him off guard, but Jack quickly regained control over her, despite the scratch that appeared on his cheek thanks to her nails.

He gritted his teeth and flipped her. Then in one sweeping motion, Jack stood up and seized the princess' arms, holding her in front of him.

Tooth screamed, kicked, and insulted him.

_'She is gone.' _Jack thought sadly over and over again. _'She's lost. She won't come back. She is __gone!__' _With that in mind, he wrapped one arm around her waist and the other one around her neck, immobilizing her.

"Let me go! Let me GO!" She screamed and struggled fiercely, clawing viciously at his arms. "I'm going to send you straight to hell!"

Jack gritted his teeth in growing frustration and lowered his mouth against her ear. "It's probably too late for that. I'm already there." He whispered.

With a guttural yell, she threw her head back with full-force, hitting Jack's nose. His grip loosened and Tooth used the moment to turn and drew her leg back for a kick to his head.

Too bad Jack anticipated it because a second later, he shot his arm out to catch her foot – and too bad she anticipated _that_, because he didn't sense the sand she released from her hand behind her until it was already circling him.

Then she snapped his fingers and the sand slammed right against his back, which disorientated the Duke as he fell forward from the force.

He lost focus on Tooth for a fraction, who was still in preparation for her kick, and missed to catch her foot, which now hit him dead on.

Jack's head flipped to the side and in his immobility, Tooth formed a knife in thin air and swung to throw. His eyes caught the movement.

The moment Jack regained his composure, he sidestepped with no problem, but when she lifted her free hand again, he noticed a second too late what would happen.

He turned his head to the side.

She's formed another knife and flung it at him, scratching his other cheek.

Jack clenched his teeth and looked at Tooth, who lunged at him yet again.

This time, he caught her fist in his hand and held it there, their arms quivering a bit, each trying to get the upper hand. Adrenaline pumped wildly through the both of them, neither wanting to yield but for different intentions.

Tooth wanted him dead, Jack just wanted her to stop. And in his clear conviction, Jack suddenly gained more leverage until he began to squeeze her fist harder. He made his grip transform, and his strength became something equivalent to iron until her brows knitted and she winced.

Jack then let her go and she jumped back into the air, floating out of his reach and eying him warily.

"Snap out of it, Tooth!" Jack yelled at her.

Tooth shook his hand to get rid of the pain and smirked down. "You can't win, you know this." She turned her body in the air, so that she was in a lying position and rested her head in her hands. "You won't hurt me."

Jack gritted his teeth.

He didn't know what to do. She was right, but this couldn't go on forever!

"I will never forgive you." She said loud enough for him to hear and his head jerked up. "You did so much things.. You hurt me, you used me.. It's enough."

Jack's body tensed. He knew she was right.

And from that moment on, he dodged every single blow, not once going offensive. Eventual Tooth formed an arrow and a bow with black sand out of thin air, trying to shot Jack.

But he was fast.

She tried over and over again, but Jack disappeared only milliseconds before the arrow would have hit him. She even tried different angles from every side.

She failed.

Jack didn't even mock her anymore. It hurt, not only to know, that she wouldn't yell back at him or that her eyes wouldn't shine the same anymore when they argued, but it hurt the most to know, that she wouldn't come back to him. He could always remember her, but he wouldn't see her ever again.

She's_ left_ him.

And this thought ate him from the inside out.

The next arrow flew, but missed its target by at least 40 feet and Jack looked behind him, watching the arrow fall to the wet ground.

He turned to Tooth with raised brows and he nearly choked on his sharp intake of breath.

Tooth stood there, arrow and bow in trembling hands along with a shaking body.

Her face was different; normal.

And her eyes.. they were back to lilac, fading to yellow every now and then.

But they were definitely lilac!

His heart jumped.

"Tooth?"

She tried so hard to answer. Her throat seemed to prevent her from speaking, choking her in doing so; a hot lump in her throat.

She panted and firstly dropped the arrow, then the bow, both crumbled into dust before they hit the ground, leaving no trace behind.

"I-I.. Someon- Hnnngg." She tilted her head back, squeezing her eyes shut in pain. She fell to her knees, head still facing the dark, pouring sky and she sobbed. "You don't understand. I can't control it. I _can't_ stop it! Run.."

Someone took the upper hand and shoved her current mind to the background and replaced her thoughts with one word:

KILL!

She tried to defend herself desperately against the intruder in her head. She tried to squirm and writhe, to shout, but her body obeyed her no more. Her panic grew and grew - what should she do now?

She shouted as loud as she could Jack's name, but her throat choked her, swallowing her attempt to reach him.

Her whole body was completely floppy, yet tensed.

Tooth tried to push the intruder away with all her might. It cost almost her whole power. She used the rest to regain her control. It became slowly narrowly for her, because her clear mind slowly got infected. He fought against her, and this made her more and more tired.

"Arrhhg!" Tooth gasped, reeling back. Her body started to sweat and she dropped on her knees, too tired to stand.

Jack took a step forward.

"No!" She yelled and held up her hand. "Don't come any closer!"

"Tooth?" He asked slightly dumbfound, just to make sure.

"Please.. Jack, RUN! I don't.. I- won't hurt you."

Yes, it was her, and Jack gritted his teeth.

"IDIOT!"

Tooth opened her eyes at his yell.

Jack didn't know, if he would get this chance ever again, so he pushed his pride away and screamed. "By now you should know, that I won't run and just leave you behind! **NO**!"

Tooth's heart skipped a beat, but something pulled her back into the darkness. "No, please, stop it. I don't want to.. no.." She gasped the last part, tilting her head forward, her hair covering her face.

For a few seconds it was just the rain and thunder making sounds.

"That bitch really is something, trying to gain control again." She laughed, her head rising.

Yellow eyes.

And Jack's frustration turned to anger.

"Seriously?! Hiding behind a woman, Pitch?!"

"Ohh, not just a mere woman, Jack." Pitch's voice seemed to be everywhere and Jack got into a defense stance. "History repeating itself, right?" He added cynical. "_Do you really think all this is coincidence?" _

Jack didn't say a word. What could he have said now?

When he looked back at her, he didn't saw Tooth, but his sister again.

_"_Let's play ___hopscotch__. _You know that, don't you, ___Jackson__?" _She purred.

Jack knew Pitch was just messing with his head, but the image was too bold to ignore.

He knew he wouldn't fight her. None of them.

He knew he couldn't.

"I really gave you a hard time, huh?" He mumbled to himself.

No one heard him.

He looked up at the sky and tilted his head slightly sideways to watch his sister transform into Tooth. She smirked and began to run towards him, her footsteps creating a painful echo in his head as they became faster and closer.

His mind was only focused on her.

Jack slowly lowered his hands and with them - his staff. He relaxed his stance, letting down his guard completely.

**He was done.**

If he couldn't save one little girl when he could kill thousands of them in just one day.. he didn't deserve to be near her.

What good can he do?

At the end Pitch was right.

..

.

"_To fight monsters, you have to create monsters yourself."_

..

.

And it was his fault she had to suffer.

Both of them..

..

.

Jack's staff fell to the wet ground, creating tiny waves when it collided soundlessly with the ground. The next words were not only directed to Tooth, but to his sister.

"You were right. It's ok to not hold it in anymore."

Tooth got closer, forming a knife with black sand.

"It was not my intention to hurt you."

He looked at the ground.

"I swore to myself that I would protect you. No matter what."

Jack chuckled humorless.

"Look where this got us." He raised his head, a small smile on his face. "But now I'm going to protect you from myself. You're gonna be alright."

He thought back to his sister and smiled slightly.

"No, I'm not playing tricks. I mean it, you're gonna be fine. You have to _believe_ in me."

..

.

_"I won't kill you Toothiana. You just have to believe me." _

..

.

Jack knitted his brows. "What if we could go back? Would you really have stayed with me?"

He shook his head.

"Or was it too much to ask for?"

Jack raised his head, facing Tooth, who was now only ten feet away from him.

"I didn't realize, that _I_ was the troublesome one. I guess now it's too late to change. You never think of it.. only when it's too late."

If he had looked at her more careful, he would have seen the tears on Tooth's face.

"But it's ok. I knew this day would come. I won't leave you. I won't run. I'm going to make it up to you now."

He said and closed his eyes, his arms hung loosely at his sides.

_"I'm sorry."_

And Jack heard Pitch's faint words in his head.

_My work here is done._

..

.

Tooth screamed.

..

.

Before Tooth knew what happened until her conscious slowly won the upperhand against the heavy darkness, she felt like floating. Then it changed somehow.. It was wet.. _cold_.

Her eyes fluttered open.

She lay face down on the ground, one side of her cheek in a puddle of rain and dirt. Her body hurt like hell.

Then saw Jack's unconscious body a few feet away from her.

How long did they lay there in the rain?

Her eyes closed again.

She wanted to call out to him, to wake him up, but she was to weak.

She bit her lip.

She'd hurt him.

Back then she was able to regain some control over her body, before she could plunge the knife through Jack's heart. She stabbed his shoulder instead.

When she'd screamed, the darkness abruptly vanished, leaving her breathless. Jack didn't scream or stirred.

He just gritted his teeth, before slumping to the side.

She'd followed shortly after him with tears running down her face, when the black sand vanished from her body. She'd looked down at her hands in horror, knowing what she'd done.

Then she'd looked at Jack and felt her knees buckle before she slumped to the ground.

Tooth couldn't believe that everything turned out like this. How it took a turn for the worse.

But Jack didn't lose his belief in her, when she was being controlled.

Now it would be her, who wouldn't lose her belief in him.

No!

She weakly moved her arm, stretching it to the side towards Jack.

She didn't get enough oxygen through her throat, so she breathed in stertorously.

Her fingers moved, trying to grab Jack, but he was too far away.

Her arm slumped and she didn't know how long she just lay there staring at Jack with her arm outstretched to him, but after what felt like an eternity, someone hoisted her up.

_'Jack..' _She thought, before darkness claimed her once more.

Again it was him, who she saw last.

..

.

He woke up, expecting to see the devil to grab his ankle and pull him down into the depths of hell, where all his victims would claw at his mind, getting their revenge for all his sins.

Instead he firstly felt.. only dizzy - like he was fighting his way out of a coma, the darkness trying to forcibly drag him back, but he didn't give in.

His shoulder hurt, but otherwise he was cozy.

..

.

_He tore the bandage off and saw stitches over his cut. He eyed them and didn't quite grasped the fact _she_ did this. Of course, it would increase the healing pace, but it wasn't necessary. Why wo-_

_"I wanna go home.."__Jack's thoughts stopped as he heard someone and looked up to a chair, which was arranged so someone could look out of the window into the depths of the space._

_He stared at her, watching as she gingerly adjusted herself until she was curled up against one armrest, hugging her knees to her chest. Then she released a deep sigh and Jack knew she was asleep._

_Jack caught the hurt and longing in her voice, but didn't dare to let those emotions get the better of him. He caged his own emotions behind a thick wall with a stony expression on his face._

..

.

His eyes fluttered open.

He hoped, that this was just a dream, a horrible déjà vu he can avoid, now that he knew what would happen; that it was her sleeping in the chair on the ship again. Jack would have acted differently towards her now and would have changed so many remarks, so many actions.

He wouldn't have caged his emotions anymore.

But _only _for her.

However, his hopes crashed the moment he heard Bunny's voice.

"You barely made it, Duke."

Jack raised his uninjured arm to his face, placing the back of his hand against his forehead. He was wearing a simply white shirt and his usual brown pants.

"Do you know what happened?"

Yes, but if he actually _wanted _to know what happened was another question. He thought back, a jolt fluttered over his entire being, concentrating in his stomach.

Jack wanted to scream, but didn't answer and simply looked at the ceiling. "Where is she?" His own voice shocked him.

Like he wasn't himself, like someone else spoke for him with a raspy, hurt voice.

"It's enough." A calm, steady voice said from the door to his room.

Bunny glared at the newcomer. "Not now, Flynn!"

"When, Bunny? When?! When she's at the brink of death _again_?!" He yelled and Bunny stepped in front of him.

Flynn turned his head towards Jack. "You.." He began and Jack's eyes narrowed, sensing a fight coming up.

But then Flynn sighed deeply, relaxing and Bunny patted his shoulder.

Jack tilted his head, narrowing his eyes past his arm at Flynn. **"Where is she?" **

No answer.

And it hurt again.

It wasn't fair..

In that moment the door opened and _Fenju_ stepped into the room. No one dared to say a word and Jack looked the King dead in the eyes, slowly lowering his arm from his face.

"Pitch already left. I was able to calm him down. He won't start a war, but now you have to live with the consequences of your actions." _Fenju _said, breaking the silence. "I won't cut our agreement with Ar'Kit. I understand."

Jack's brow rose. "How long was I out?" He asked and turned to Bunny.

"Five days."

Jack's mouth opened in shock. He never was out that long.

"But not as long as Toothiana will need."

Jack felt the pang in his chest, when Flynn mentioned her name.

But wait-

He jerked his head to him. "W- What did you just say?"

Flynn knitted his brows and Bunny shook his head sadly.

"I dare you to repeat that again!" Jack now yelled and Flynn sighed deeply.

"She is alive, Duke."

Jack's eyes widened slightly and Flynn saw how much Tooth's _'death'_ had left a mark on him. When he came into the room.. he never saw the Duke like that.

So.. so _lost._

Suddenly Jack leaned up on his healthy elbow, trying to get out of the bed, but Bunny jumped up and quickly pushed him back down.

"No, you can't! You're in a bad condition nonetheless!"

"I don't care! I want to see her! Immediately!" Jack spat angrily at Bunny.

Silence.

Jack's brows furrowed. "What?"

No one spoke.

"What?!" Jack repeated more urgent.

"Toothiana.." Bunny began, but stopped and looked away.

"She is a mess, Jack, and that's not only due to her wound." Flynn deadpanned.

Jack needed five seconds to proceed this information. "Where is she?"

"She won't wake up for a long time. We were able to get you both in time, but her wounds are too deep. We.. we don't even know, if she'll make it. It was pure luck, that the black sand somehow healed her wound to the point she could walk and fight again."

Jack bared his teeth as he remembered the fight between them. She snapped out of it! Otherwise he would be dead! There wasn't a chance that a Fearling wouldn't kill him! "You don't know her. She's strong."

He couldn't bear the thought to lose her a second time.

This wouldn't just kill her, but him too.

"I see, you're suffering." _Fenju _said after a long pause, eying the Duke carefully. He walked forward, placing his hand on his good shoulder. "Now it's up to you, to either run away or to learn from this."

With that _Fenju _left, the loud _click _from the door announcing that now it was just Jack, Bunny and Flynn.

It was only until Flynn cut through the silence with his voice barely above a whisper.

"Duke, send her home. This has gone too far. You can't take responsible for that. Not anymore."

..

.

"I know." He answered and Bunny's and Flynn's eyes widened. "Don't give me that look. I'm not that stupid!"

Bunny thought of all the things that could've happened to Jack out there to change him this much. Flynn only stared at Jack's defeated form.

"Don't start. I don't want to have this talk ever again!" Jack said and pointed his finger at them, knowing exactly what they were thinking of.

But he automatically thought back to Pitch.

..

.

_"She is a free _bird _now, don't take it away from her."_

..

.

Jack felt the after image of the fateful event.

He still hurt.

And he didn't mean his wound with that.

No, the wall he always felt around his mind wasn't there anymore. His emotions now tore free from their chains in the back of his mind.

Now he was open to the pain, betrayal, frustration, confusion, loneliness, guilt and shame, which build up all the years and crashed into him now with full force.

Jack gasped.

He felt naked, vulnerable..

An image of Tooth's smiling face flashed in his mind.

And suddenly he didn't want to switch the flip anymore, he didn't want to shut out his emotions.

Somehow he was able to overlay those emotions with relief, joy, luck, and more over..

_Gratitude.. _

That she was still there, still in his reach.

His eyes snapped open and he looked at both men.

"I need to see her, _please._"

..

.

Jack looked at her floating form, the blue liquid inside the capsule the only source of light in the otherwise dark room.

The moment he said _please, _Bunny and Flynn let him go. They told him, she was in the lab and he instantly got up, not once caring about his wounds.

His mind was clouded with thoughts of her.

Jack looked at her, how her hair flowed softly around her in the liquid. They've dressed her in a t-shirt and shorts and Jack hoped for Flynn's sake, that it wasn't a male, who's changed her clothing.

He shook his head. He didn't deserve the right to be angry about this anymore, did he?

Jack let out a heavy sigh, dropping to the white stony floor in front of the capsule (he completely ignored the pain in his shoulder), sitting cross legged and tilted his head up to watch her.

She didn't have a nightmare.

No, she looked peaceful, every muscle inside her was relaxed.

Jack picked up the beeping sound of her heart. It was calm and steady.

He smirked up at her. _'I told them you're stronger than you look. And here I thought the loud mouth of yours was your only weapon.'_

Her wounds were slowly healing and Jack looked at her stomach, her t-shirt flowing up in the liquid for him to see. There was a huge gash and it would no doubt leave a scar.

___'I'm sorry' _

Jack watched as bubbles escaped her breathing mask. Her chest rose up and down gently from her even breaths.

Slowly Jack closed his eyes, feeling somehow relaxed being close to her again.

_'I guess I owe you an explanation, don't I?'_

He opened his eyes and looked at her beautiful floating form.

Would she even consider staying by his side, when she finally knew what he had done? He got up and placed a hand on the glass window of the capsule.

He looked up at her.

Pitch was right.

He was indeed infected.

But Jack didn't give a shit.

Like he promised her before, he was going to make it up to her now. It would be her decision all together. And if she didn't want to see him ever again – his face twisted in pain at the mere thought of it – then he would leave and never come back.

It was all about her now.

He would definitely try everything to earn her trust again, even if it would be the last thing he would do.

And he vowed with a soft smile on his lips.

"I will bring you home and then I will tell you everything. I promise."

..

.

However, at this time no one knew, that Tooth would sleep three long months..

* * *

**A/N:  
**

_This chapter is a mess and nearly drove me insane.._

_But now we'll face brighter times, guys. Brighter, funnier and definitely hotter. ;) Oh, I'm itching to write (especially the latter – naughty disease ftw) but firstly:_

_If you're confused by a few parts.. It's ok. We'll get to that the next chapter. (For those, who're confused about the whole Bunny-thing). We'll hear about it the next chapter, along with Jack's past.  
_

_Now I want you to send **Her Head In the Clouds** a BIG hug, since she helped me with the fighting scenes! She even wrote the hand-to-hand combat with Pitch and I'm so grateful!  
Check out (if you haven't until now, which is kinda impossible) her amazing RS fanfiction called **Project GUARDIAN: The Rise & Fall**_

_I'm sorry for all kinds of mistakes in this chapter..  
_

_With this being said.. Stay tuned and safe! :)  
_


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